Every occurrence in which you have shared, or originated, seems by some strange perversion to be misunderstood, or misstated, by the present generation, when some favorite individual, or topic, induces the obliquity. Although I give Mr Adams his full share of merit in the affair of the Compte de Vergenne’s maneuvring with the british administration on the subject of our treaty of 1783; yet I have felt indignant that your name should have been omitted in the Massachussets conventional account of the matter; & Mr Adams held out as the principal figure, when you should have been the prominent & leading Portrait in the groupe.1 I am sure Mr Vaughan will not justify this statement of the transaction;2 tho’ he is alluded to as confirming it, by one of the Speakers in the Massachussets Convention.3 His account of it to me, was exactly as you stated it, in your letter to congress4 which I saw & read at the time of its being the subject of our consideration, when, as I wrote to you, the unjustifiable vote was taken as to the unmerited censure of proceeding without the concurrence of the french minister in our adjustment with Great Britain. In your letter to me in answer to my relation of what passed at this place, in a conversation with Mr B. Vaughan, a few years ^or more^ ago, in relation to the affair, & when I told you he confirmed my recollections on the subject; you only refer to your letter to congress. I think some additional statement of facts should be left; lest the Archives of the Office of State may suffer the Catastrophe which destroyed all the records of transactions in the War Office.5 The Truth of History depends on fair & correct relations of the conduct of individuals to whom public transactions were committed. The Biography of those individuals is one thing; the national character is another; but both are united in the inquiry on this subject.

Among the Pleasures of Memory, (which has many pains,) the recollections of old friendships is one of the must delightful. Among these my remembrances of your personal regards is one of the most prominent gratifications. Whensoever anything turns up in which you were concerned, all my sensibilities recur.—6

Under such feelings, I looked over your letter on the subject of the President Washington’s Farewell Address; the substance whereof I have kept in scrinio pectoris.7 But, on reading your letter of the 29th. March 1811,8 I have found a part of it ambiguous; & cavillers may say that you had never read the original draft sent by Genl W to Col Hamilton; who made a fair copy, with the amendments he deemed proper; rather than insert them in the Presidents draft; or annex them to it. And when you speak of your going over the fair copy, or new dress, in which Col. H. had clothed it, it does not appear that the original was ever consulted. So that it cannot be discovered, in your letter, how much of the original was inserted in the new paper; &, of course, whether Col. H had or had not the greatest share in the Address finally promulgated. Your words are—“He (Col H) observed to me, in words to this effect,;—[”] that “after having read & examined the draft, it appeared to him to be susceptible of improvement;—that he thought the Easiest & best way, was to leave the draft untouched, & in its fair state; & to write the whole over, with such amendments, alterations, & corrections, as he thought were adviseable; & that he had done so. He then proposed to read it, & to make it a subject of our consideration; this being agreed to, he read it; & we proceeded deliberately, to discuss & consider it paragraph by paragraph, until the whole met with our mutual approbation. Some amendments were made during the interview, but none of much importance.”

All this seems to relate to Col. H’s productions— engrafted on the original; which composed only a part of this.

You then state the delicacy of leaving the president’s draft “fair & not obscured by Interlineations, &c.” But on recollecting that a certain proposition was expressed in terms too general, you proposed a further examination; which Col. H. declined; as he was pressed in time to return the draft to the president: and you add—“as the business took the course above mentioned, a recurence to the draft was unnecessary; & it was not read”. And you descant on the advantages of the presidents draft being intire; so that he might compare it with the paper sent; that he might decide on the whole matter. But whether the president adopted Col H’s paper in toto, or took parts agreeable to him; does not appear; nor can any one tell who has not Col. H’s paper. You must, however, recollect, generally, whether or not the substance of Genl W’s draft was not the main body of the new paper; & what proportion the corrections & amendments bore to the original draft. I mention to you these suggestions as they now occur to me; that, if you can give any explanations, I may be enabled to place them with your letter deposited with me; which may, at some future day, be important; when living witnesses can no longer testify.

Last year, I heard that Col. H’s papers had been delivered ^by Mrs Hamilton^ to our Jos. Hopkinson,9 to enable him to write the Biography of Genl H. I took occasion to speak with him; & warn him against attributing the Farewell Address to Genl H; & besought him not to put me under the necessity of disproving the allegation. He told me, that if he were more convinced than he was, that the fact was so; he would not be concerned in publishing it; & thus take away the Charm of Genl Washington’s name; which gave the greatest weight to the sentiments contained in this invaluable political legacy.

I begin to feel some of the infirmities of Age; but in general am highly favoured with good health. The most extraordinary depression of property is no cordial to landed proprietors; but those who will soon occupy a small portion, & leave their extensive possessions behind them, need not so much deplore the “hard times”— which have fallen on us. The friends of peace have nothing to encourage them, when universal peace brings along with it universal privations & much distress to individuals. But we have wantoned in prosperity; & cannot bear the check which circumstances have given to our career. Festina lente,10 must hereafter be our motto. I trust you enjoy as much health as you have heretofore experienced, tho’ I cannot flatter myself that it is perfect. My best wishes constantly attend you; & I beg you to be assured of the sincere regards with which I am always affectionately yours,

I have just got home from the drudgery of a long Circuit Court; & am not the better for the campaign. Washington has begun his return to Mount Vernon, much broken down. He came convalesscent; having had a severe attack of an illness, which pervaded all the country in his vicinity. He must renew his stamina or he will not reach the period of life to which you & I have arrived.

I have raised up cavilling objections to your letter on the Address, merely to furnish answers to cavillers when you explain the parts mentioned. I believe the Alterations were in no wise of the substance of the original draft, but in the diction &c.; & those not numerous or extensive. So I have always understood the matter.