My old friend Doc. Wallace has just paid us a kind visit. The picture that he has presented to Mrs Mason & my self of the happiness you enjoy in your retirement from public life, is to us both, very pleasing & interesting. But when he described your efforts to make our Country more independent by promoting domestic manufactures we were gratified to find that what we were pursuing with industry and persevereance had been by you deemed an object worthy of your attention. When we retired from Geo. Town to St Marys County in 1805 we found ourselves in a Country where the materials for manufactures were unattainable. But when in May 1808 we crossed the Mountains and reached this place, the first thing we did was formally to declare War against Europe, by refusing to buy her merchandize, except such articles as ladies cannot well do without, and as cannot be made in private families. We have ever since adhered and still do adhere to this determination. Since that time we have not bought a Carpet, Blanket, Sheet or any other species of house linnen coarse or fine, we make our own stockings, cloths coarse and fine and indeed almost every thing else. To shew you the Style in which we conduct our Warfare, but more particularly to evince her respectful and affectionate remembrance of yourself, Mrs Mason has prevailed on Doc. Wallace to be the bearer to you of a Counterpain a table cloth and a napkin made by herself of which she begs your acceptance. I sincerely wish that those who direct and manage the political concerns of our Country had been as much in earnest as we were, and had persevered with as much firmness as we have done, in this mode of Warfare.

Mrs Mason, in wishes for a continuance of your health and happiness, unites with dear Sir your sincere friend and