I Have not Had, this long while, a letter from you, But my inquiries after you Have kept up a kind of Communication— the departure of a frigate affords me a More direct opportunity to advise you, and to Request an Answer By the dispatches which, no doubt, will Be Sent Early in the Spring— Every particular Respecting yourself and our friends will be very welcome.

     I Continue to live, in Complete Retirements, at La Grange, with my fourteen Children and Grand Children— I wish it was within a few Miles of Mount Vernon. the News papers will give you European politics—in the peninsula, about the Same: Expected peace of the turks—the talk of a war with Russia-England Hitherto Maintaining Her orders in Council— in france the Good Reception of the Minister and Several other Symptoms make me think the Answer He is waiting for will Be Better than Any that Has Been for a long time given— in the Mean while I fondly anticipate and Enjoy the Enfranchisement of the whole American Continent.

     it Has Been Said Mr Marshal was going to give a Second Edition of His precious work— I then refrained from a new Application for Some of those materials which might Still Be of Use to Him— But the Informations I Receive from Mr Warden Make me Hope, my dear Sir, there will Be no impropriety in Requesting from You my Corrispondence with My paternal friend— His Letters to me, the Copies of my official Letters to Him, Have perished in the Revolutionary Storm of Europe. You will probably Have found in His papers all my Letters, public and private, from the year 1777, to the last day— You know the General used to keep Copies not only of His offical But of more private and Confidential Letters, the later often Copied with His own Hand— you are Sensible, my dear Sir, How precious Such a Collection would Be to me, Both on account of the Correspondance and still more of the Correspondent. if you are So kind and to Have it packed up, and Sent By a frigate Under the Seal of Government, which Mr Madison and the members of the Cabinet knowing what it is, will not Refuse to do, the package directed to the American minister, and Recommended to the Deans of dispatches, I will be Under a very great obligation to you. should you want to Have them Again, or Copies of them I might make use of the Same Way— But Having, for Some time at least, those original papers would Be one of the Greatest Gratification I may Receive, and to Be indebted to you for it, will Be an additional Satisfaction.

     I Beg you, my dear Sir, to present me Most affectionately to the family—to offer my thankfull Attachment to Mr Marshal, And to Receive the Expression of my old and Unalterable friendship