I have recd. your Letters of the 6th. and 13th. Inst:1— The woman procured by Wm. appears to be desirous to give Satisfaction, but is in some Respects deficient in Qualifications for her place— I am glad however that she was sent— the other went to Sinsing last Saturday, not a little mortified and disappointed.

As Wm. has recd. Bismuth2 from Albany, Nancy will not want a further supply soon— For more than a week past, she has been less well than she was— This she imputes to Bile in her Stomach, and apprehends that an Emetic will be necessary— this I think probable, but not certain— feeling unusually well, she lately fatigued herself incautiously.

The measures preparatory to a partition, which have been taken respecting the pasture Lots, give me pleasure— the Principles or Plan of the partition are yet to be agreed upon, & the sooner the better—3

I have recd. the Deed you mention— The Consideration money appears to me to be very little— but as all the other Parties concerned are content to take it, I presume there are good Reasons for it, and I shall execute the Deed when you come here, that being a Witness you may prove it— If however the Business will not admit of that Delay, let me know it, and I will act accordingly—

Attacks upon the Charter would in my opinion be improper— I do not approve of the Attack made on Mr. Clarke— Such Precedents are dangerous—they weaken the Security of Property; and being usually prompted by Cupidity or other Passions, will seldom be regulated by Justice, or restrained by virtuous Principles—

It this moment occurs to me, that as Mr. Munro purposes to be here soon, I may execute the Deed in his Presence, and return it by him.—

Your visit to Rye was proper— our Friends there have a right to expect attentions from us all— Wilm. will doubtless return next month, and I think he had better pass a Day or two there, than come directly from York here— On being informed that he intends to be at Rye on a certain Day to be named, my carriage shall meet him there. At present the Roads are very bad, and I do not expect they will be much better for some Weeks yet to come— & yet they may.

Be mindful to send me some money by him, and also a Ream of Letter paper, a little thicker than this— a great deal of paper is used here— I am not anxious that he should hasten his Return— The putrid malignant Fever of which you have heard has been approaching this Town, and some Cases of it have lately occurred— Robt. Eames4 died of it last week— I am told that Henry Haight has it— and now hear that Walter Lyon (Son of John) has been seized with it— If (as may be the Case) it is generated and spread by something peculiar in the air in these parts, they who live at a Distance had better remain at a distance for the present— it is supposed that mild weather will check it— Our Doctrs. say, it is to them a new kind of fever— some think it is a species of the spotted Fever— While it prevails I hope that neither you nor Wm. will come here—and I think Mr. Munro had better postpone his intended visit, for the present— If it should come into this family, neither of you could be useful — and your being unnecessarily in Danger would give me more concern than having the fever. Let us do our Duty at all Risques—but let us not by Rashness tempt Providence.— Nancy requests Wm. to buy for her a Bottle of such Snuff as he uses—

I will subjoin (in Confidence) some Reflections which occurred to me yesterday, but which I have not had time to consider maturely— think of them—

Is a Priest responsible to his Congregation, or to his Bishop, for any part of his extra-or unofficial Conduct, which his civil Rights and moral Duties authorize?

Has he not a civil and a moral Right to publish Truths unfavorable to an active Enemy, in order to diminish his power or opportunities of doing Injuries— and in order also to manifest the propriety of his own Conduct relative to such an Enemy?

Has not every free Citizen, who is interested in the Election of an officer, civil or ecclesiastical, a civil and a moral Right to publish Truths calculated to shew that this or that Candidate is not qualified for the office.

If these Questions are answered in the Affirmative, then it seems that the only Question to be decided is, whether ^what^ Mr. Jones had published previous to the Sentence against him, was true or false—

To decide this Question, Mr. Jones’s Friends might propose to the Vestry, and agree

1 That Docr. Hobart should being an action for a Libel or for Slander agt. Mr. Jones.

2 That Mr Jones shall plead that the whole is true—

3 That if the Court and Jury should acquit Mr. Jones, he shall be replaced in statu quo— after which the Expediency of retaining him may be considered &ca.

4. That if the Court and Jury should find him guilty— that then, altho Judgmt. and Execution ought to have been preceded by Inquiry and Conviction, yet that they will acquiesce and cease to support him.5 I am Dr. Peter Your affte. Father

Clark says it is doubtful whether Walter Lyons Sickness, is the putrid fever. Nat. Sackett is dead—of the Fever— it is in Dav. Haights family.