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My dear Brother,

I am very unable to say a tenth Part of what I ought to say to you this Evening, when there is So much to be said, and so few Opportunities of saying it. ー but my Head is disabled by this Influenza, which has disabled us all by Tums, and my Attention, as far as I am competent to employ it, is engaged by official Business. ー

Our Campaign this Year has certainly not been brilliant, and the News (reported a few Days ago, and confirmed this Morning) of the taking of St Johns compleats our Disgrace ー We have wanted a few hard Knocks to rouse us, and I trust that we are rouzed (at Least we had the Knocks) I also trust that we are not stunn'd by them, but animated to a just Sense of the Contest, in which we are engaged, and determined (and let me add able) to take Measures equal to it's Difficulties ー You have rather a Predilection for America, let me repeat to you however what I have always Said, and what the chearful disposition of the People of this Country under all their Disappointments in this Business confirms "We are too steady and too resolute to give Way, and either you or we must give Way" if we were less steady than we are, we could still be too much for you by the relative Advantages, which we enjoy, in Spite of the great Expences, to which you are putting us, in great Naval Equipments, and in more numerous Armies, than have ever yet been seen in America. ー it is a cursed Business ー we may be mistaken, but we think you in general in a state of Frenzy ー You will neither hear Reason, nor act reasonably, & the only Question now is, whether you will be brought back to common Sense and general Happiness, or whether you shall succeed in destroying both us and yourselves ー as for your Excellency individually, you are behaving in a Manner to deserve great Credit; you are acting the dignified determined Part. ー and are showing yourself a Friend to both Sides of the Atlantic ー you have all due Honour for it here, and I hope you will be treated with equal Candour on your own Side of the Atlantic. ー

The Bill, which had the Royal Assent yesterday puts an End to all commercial Intercourse between us. I hope the Southern Countries will begin to see the Consequences of continuing upon themselves the Miseries, which that Bill must bring on them, and that they will learn what they might have learned longer ago, that if they succeed in their present united Enterprize, they will immediately find themselves in a State of Subjection to the New-Englanders, and that the longer they persevere in that Enterprize (if they are fortunate enough in the End to fail in it) the more they must suffer ー for other Matters I must refer you to the Papers from the Post-Office, and remain very affectionatly yours.