My Dear Friend,
I received last night your letters of February the 20th and April the
29th, and a vessel just sailing from Baltimore enables me hastily to
acknowledge them; to assure you of the welcome with which I receive
whatever comes from you, and the continuance of my affectionate esteem
for yourself and family. I learn with much concern, indeed, the state of
Madame de la Fayette's health. I hope I have the pleasure yet to come of
learning its entire re-establishment. She is too young not to give great
confidence to that hope.
Measuring happiness by the American scale, and sincerely wishing that of
yourself and family, we had been anxious to see them established on this
side of the great water. But I am not certain that any equivalent can be
found for the loss of that species of society, to which our habits have
been formed from infancy. Certainly had you been, as I wished, at the
head of the government of Orleans, Burr would never have given me one
moment's uneasiness. His conspiracy has been one of the most flagitious
of which history will ever furnish an example. He meant to separate the
western States from us, to add Mexico to them, place himself at their
head, establish what he would deem an energetic government, and thus
provide an example and an instrument for the subversion of our freedom.
The man who could expect to effect this, with American materials, must
be a fit subject for Bedlam.
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