I had yesterday the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 30th Octr: last1—the only one that has come to my hands since I left Philadelphia— The letter, you mention to have written when Genl: Washington was in WChester County, has miscarried, and I the more regret it, as it probably contained some particulars about my Father’s family, of whom I hear little except by reports transmitted by Persons at a distance from them— But two letters from Fady, & none from James, have come to my hands since we parted— You need not be informed how this circumstance operates upon my feelings, nor how much you will oblige me by supplying their Omissions— Remember however that your letters will probably be inspected before they reach me— I thank you sincerely & cordially for this instance of attention, & the Intelligence you favor me with— Thank God! Lord Cornwallis and his Army are our Prisoners— A most joyful & important Event— The news must have arrived in England at the opening of Parliament— We are impatient to know what influence it will have upon the British Counsels— In my Opinion, it will either lead the Enemy to think more seriously of Peace, or excite them to make the most strenuous efforts for prosecuting the War— I hope & Pray that our Success may not relax our Exertions.

I have had no letters for many months, past from R. Livingston, tho’ I have wrote him several—his appointment gives me pleasure— Our State will nevertheless lose an able Counsellor by his absence—

Peggy’s visit to her friends gives me concern—2 I wonder at the unseasonable compliance of her husband— Your Committee3 cannot be Respectors of Persons, and clemency without Justice is no less reprehensible than Justice without Mercy—

I have been informed that my Father had been robbed—that he removed his family to Poughkeepsie, and that on the way he lost one of his Servants (but which I know not) by an unfortunate accident— I am to this moment ignorant of the Particulars, except so far as they have been conveyed by report— I wish to know where he lives, & how he does— Nobody writes me a Syllable about Peter & Nancy— This distressed family are never out of my thoughts or heart— Harry Livingston Junr has been so kind as to write a letter to Mrs. Jay for which we are much obliged to him—4 I wish however he had been as particular about my Father &ca. as about my Son—He ^You^ tell me he is the Solace of my Father— This circumstance makes me regret their parting— So few rays of comfort beam on that good & affectionate Parent of mine, that it is a pity he should be deprived of those which it seems he derives from the company & prattle of his little Grandson— It must not be— You my good friend must manage this matter for me. Harry Livingston, I imagine, lives in the Neighbourhood— His wife is an excellent woman, & in my Opinion a rara avis in Terra—5 I beleive they both wish us well, & would not refuse to oblige me, by taking my Son to live with them, & treating him as they do their own— In that family, he would neither see nor be indulged in Immoralities, & he might every day or two spend some hours with his Grandfather, & go to School with Harry’s children, or otherwise as you may think proper— At any rate, he must not live with his Grandfather, to whom, he would in that case, be as much trouble as Satisfaction— This is a point, on which I am decided, & therefore write in very express and positive terms— Unless objections strike you, that I neither know or think of, be so kind as to speak to Mr. & Mrs. Livingston about it. I will chearfully pay them whatever you may think proper, & I would rather that you should agree to a generous allowance, than a mere adequate compensation. Mr. Livingston will keep a separate account of his cloathing which shall be punctually repaid— In case Mr. & Mrs. Livingston should consent to this, be pleased then to mention it to my father & the family.— To fetch Peter from Jersey will be the next step— For this purpose, it will be proper either that Fady or Mr. Livingston should undertake it— I would advise that either the one or the other should, as soon as the Season will permit, go down alone in a carriage, and bring one of his Aunts or his former Nurse, Hannah Benjamin with him— Either of them would reconcile him to the Journey, and save him the painful Sensations which children of his age often experience on abruptly leaving those by whom they have been accustomed to be caressed— Whatever expence may, in any manner, be occasioned by this business, shall be on my account, & on the first advice I may have of its taking place, I will immediately furnish you with a Sum amply sufficient for the whole— I prefer committing this affair to you, rather than to my Brother, because I apprehend that my Father will be desirous of having the Boy with him, and it would not be proper that a question of that kind should be agitated between them, for I repeat it, that upon this point I am determined— I entreat your attention to this Subject, and beg that you will extend your attention to this Subject, & beg that you will extend your Regard for the father to the Son & Family of Your Affectionate Friend