Yesterday was sennight I wrote to Reuben Lewis, informing him he might hourly expect his brother there. I meant the next day which was the post day, to have written it to you also, but was in the intervening evening taken with the Autumnal fever so as to be unable to write. the attack was slight, & I am now perfectly recovered, and engaged in taking the repeating doses of bark.

We have no information of the progress of our negociations either at London or Paris, & I have no hope of our learning their conclusion before the meeting of Congress: indeed it seems as if Spain would be able to protract the latter in spite of what either we or France can do to spur her up. we have no doubt of the death of mr Fox in the course of September, altho’ none of the stories yet recieved are worth notice. mr Erskine is arrived here, & is to be presented to-day, & mr Merry will at the same time take leave.

Bond, who was his Mentor when formerly here, is, we are told, like a good Vicar of Bray, gone over to the new ministry. In the quarter of Natchitoches I believe every thing will remain quiet. Burr is unquestionably very actively engaged in the Westward in preparations to sever that from this part of the Union. we learn that he is actually building 10. or 15. boats able to take a large gun & fit for the navigation of those waters. we give him all the attention our situation admits: as yet we have no legal proof of any overt act which the law can lay hold of. present my tenderest affections to my dear Martha & the young ones, & accept assurances yourself of constant attachment