Knowing as I think I do my own heart, and the Impression which an Act of kindness has never failed to make upon it, I am utterly at a loss to account for my long silence to you upon a subject on which I should have spoken many years ago— Month after Month and Year after Year have I intended to visit you, and express an Obligation, which, I lament to say, you have every reason to suppose I never felt— I hope and trust however that you will not consider it too late, even after a lapse of twelve Years, to do what ought to have been done twelve Years ago;1 nor can you deem a sentiment of gratitude less fervent, because it has not before manifested itself in Expressions of Obligation. Permit me my dear Sir, even at this distant period to assure you that I have never ceased to feel most deeply and fervently a thorough sense of you kindness and Liberality towards me— It is literally to unbur-then my heart that I now address you, for I never reflect upon my apparent insensibility, or meet a Member of your family, that I do not feel the keenest reproaches of Conscience— I ought long since to have informed you, for the gratification of your own benevolent feelings, that your present to me was a well-timed relief from a pressure of Debt and Embarrassment— that it was the first Occurrence of my Life which was calculated to raise my hopes and Spirits and animate me to lively Exertion— Why then have I not afforded you that gratification before? Why have I not suffered my own feelings to speak for themselves? My dear Sir I cannot answer these Questions to my own satisfaction and how can I to yours— From Time to Time I in the first Instance expected to visit you, and Time after Time was prevented by accumulating duties at home— I wished rather to visit than to write to you— but as I said before I have no excuse that can satisfy myself, and therefore can offer none to you— My only hope is that you will even yet receive this feeble Tribute of my gratitude and that you will do me the justice to believe that it proceeds from a heart still glowing with the recollection of your unprecedented kindness and liberality— Believe me sir I have not so far degenerated from the race which you formerly esteemed and loved as to be insensible to an Act of such extraordinary and unexpected generosity— At this moment I restrain my feelings lest they should vent themselves in expressions that might be offensive to one who would rather look to his own heart for the recompenses of a worthy Action—

It will I am persuaded give you pleasure to hear that the descendants of your old friends are all comfortably and happily Settled— I have two Brothers and a Sister very eligibly connected in New Brunswick who reside on and near my fathers property there— My youngest Brother is a Captain of Dragoons in the British Army, and Morris, who is one of us has by a Course of steady and persevering Industry and high Integrity, raised himself to the respectable situation he now holds of Cashier of the Branch Bank of the United States—2

I am determined not to let another season pass without paying my respects to you— It will be exceedingly gratifying to me to revive your recollection of your old friends who very early infused into my mind their high Respect and esteem for you— Until then I can only subscribe myself with perfect respect & affection, your grateful friend & humble Servant