Accept my Thanks for your Favor of the 18 Decr. which was delivered to me on the 13th. of March last— I am happy to hear that your Health permits you ^still^ to continue in your import in the Chair and to sustain the Weight of Business which the Duties of that office impose upon you.

We have within these five Days The ^interesting^ news of Gen Morgans ^glorious^ Victory1 & the Success of the French in the Chesapeake reached us three Days ^ago^2 Never was Intelligence more welcome ^& our Joy^ has been since increased by Intelligence which is credited tho not quite confirmed of the English Troops in the E. Indies have been defeated ^in a decisive Battle^ by a Prince of the Country in alliance with France.3 This is opening This Campaign opens much to our advantage, and I hope the Blessing of Heaven on our arms will bring it to a conclusion equally prosperous—

My public Letter4 will give you an Idea of the State of Things ^here^ since the Date of my very long Letter which Col. Livingston forwarded from France and which I doubt not has already come to your Hands, three Copies having been sent by different Vessels—5 There is really but little Corn at present in Egypt, & those who wd. have it must purchase it. ^& you know the price^6 This seems to be the present System—how long it may last no Mortal can tell— Friendships like the English Funds often too general^ly^ rise & Fall according as Events are favourable or adverse—

By ^by the Letter from^ Doctr. Franklin’s Letter herewith enclosed7 ^was sent me by the Return of the Express Courrier I sent to him; and as his that & other Dispatches^ & which he was so obliging as to leave open for my perusal I find he has requested Permission to retire on account of his age & ^Informities^8 How far his Constitution has been ^Health may be^ impaired I know not—the many & ^since the^ long Letters I have recd. from him bear no marks of age, & are not there is an acuteness & contentious Brevity in them very seldom found in the Compositions of a declining Mind impaired ^which do not indicate^ ^an understanding injured^ by Years—Whatever I have many Reasons to think our Country much indebted to him and I confess it would mortify my pride as an American, if this worthy Citizen & public Servant should be not recieve Marks ou of Honor & Approbation from his Constituents ^his Constituents should be the only people to whom his Character is known that^ should deny his Merit & Services the Testimony given them by other Nations— Justice demands of me to assure you that his Reputation & Respectibility are acknowledged & have weight here th and that I have recieved from him upon all that uniform attention & aid which ^wh was due to^ the Importance of the affairs committed to me—God forbid that any future Historian should have occasion to say of ^remark the same Singularity in^ our Republic what an Ancient ^one^ with great Justice did of ^in^ the Athenian “That that ^tho^ Athens was [illegible] blessed w ^was providently produced^ many Great Generals & able Statesmen yet there were was scarce one whom she did not

I percieve The affectionate mention he makes of the ^his^ only descendant he has in the [male line?] his on whom the Support of his name & Family will devolve9 is extremely natural and ^aimiable and^ flows in Terms of great Delicacy ^a delicate manner from^ that virtuous Sensibility by which nature kindly extends the Benefits of Parental ^affection^ to a Period beyond the Limits of our Lives— This is an affecting Subject and and minds susceptible of the finer Feelings ^Sensations^ are insensibly led by it at least to wish that rather the name or worth of a Man whose Birth ^[as soon?] the Feelings & merits^ of an ^ancient^ Patriot retiring with well earned Honour ^going in the Evg of a long Life early devoted to the public to Enjoy Repose^ in the Bosom of ^a^ philosphic Ret Retreat ^Retirement^, may be gratified by seeing some little spark of the affection of his Country rest on the ^only^ Support of his age & Hope of his [illegible] Family— Such are the Effusions of my Heart on this Occasion & I pour them into yours from a Persuasion that they will will ^meet with^ a hospitable Reception from congenial emotions.10 As for With Respect to ^of^ this Young Gentleman ^character^ I wish I [illegible] I have no personal Knowledge except what I might be ^may be drawn^ from the ^real & accurate^ Manner in which as his Grandfathers actual Secretary he did such Business as respected me & of Course came under my Observation ^& which was neat & accurate^ and from a Letter he wrote ^me^ on the Subject of an and particular Occasion, is ^very well written Letter I recd. from^ him on a particular Occasion— I have been told that his Genius bears his Grandfathers Mark, and that ^tho not yet matured is strong and that^ he has derived from Education the Acquirements which figure in Courts— I have been also ^been^ informed that ^tho not dissipated^ he does not possess ^is gay and & fond^ of Dress & Diversions— This is all I know or have heard about him— These latter Circumstances do not always form the same Indication— The best fruit ^most valuable^ Trees blossom before they produce ^introduce their Fruit by previous Blossoms^ and when the latter ^as former the one^ shook out the former fall ^other disappears^— There are others again ^also Trees^ which ^only^ bear nothing Blossoms and are mere are gaudy scented useless Spectacle-that are merely ^tho^ ornamental in the Spring are useless and from which ^[cumber?] the Earth with a mere^ ^serve for no other purpose^ and from which ^make^ those who cultivate them are to expect no other return than perhaps very pretty & well scented Flowers while only ^& that^ in the Spring— As a Tree is always known by its Fruit.11

As the Character of this young Gentleman will on the Arrival of the Doctrs Letter probably become a Subject of Inquiry & Discussion I wish I was enabled to give you clear & positive Information relative to it— all the ^only^ Knowledge I have of it results from Circumstances and the opinion what I have at different Times heard of him from ^the Reports of^ others— [On the?] He has for some Time past been the Doctrs. actual Secretary, & the manner in which that Part of it w ^All I can say is that ^^they^^ have inclined ^^me^^ to think [in margin] well of him^

Opinions so formed From such materials ^you know^ it is not easy to form a decided opinion Judgment because circumstantial Evidence seldom rising any higher than Probabilities more more or less convincing— in this Case I have no it is natural you know in such Cases to for an opinion ^in this Case indeed it [seems neverthless?]^ The Doctrs. opinion of Recommendation of him indeed is clear & positive. His Situation ^& Discernmt.^ enables him to know this Gent perfectly, and I should think his ^Integrity &^ Prudence would not permit him ^afford sec good Security for^ me his saying nothing more than ^what^ he thinks. How How far Affection may have imperceptibly influenced the coloring you the Character of the Painter will help us to ascertain. & that is well known ^I believe^12

I hope the Idea of putting your foreign Affairs on the Footing you mention will not be laid ^aside^—a responsible, able Secretary for that Department wd be more useful than all the Committees you could appoint—13 Mrs. Jay presents her Compliments to you [and] Mrs. Huntington— We have had a fine Winter, far more agreable ^mild & temperate^ than our northern Climates ^States^ afford There is a Prospect of a more plentiful Harvest than has been known here since the Year 1756 ^& were it not for the extreme Droughts & Heats of Summer from which I suffered much greatly the last Year^ I should like ^be much pleased with^ this Climate exceedingly—not so much however as to wish to remain longer ^spend my Days^ in it than My Eyes & Affections are constantly turned towards america, & I think I shall return to it with as much real ^& cordial^ Satisfaction as ever an ^exiled^ Israelite ^felt on^ returning to his Land of Promise— I am ^Dr Sir^ with ^very^ Sincere Regard & Esteem I am Dear Sir Your most obedt. ^& humble^ Servt.