133

    To Sarah Savage Thatcher

    Philadelphia        8 December 1796

    My dear—

    Before I left home I gave my note to Mr. [Jeremiah] Hill for the sum of one hundred & fifty dollars to be taken up on presenting to him a certificate for a like sum paid by me to the Treasurer of the United States on his account as Collector—I now inclose you the Treasurers Certificate for one hundred & sixty dollars—which you will deliver to Mr. Hill & take up my note—and desire him to pay ten dollars more, which will cover the whole certificate, to young Mr. Townsend our shoe-maker—I engaged to forward him that sum as soon as I could after I got to this place—

    So soon as tis in my power I will forward some money for Friend Nathaniel & Mr. Lunt1—in my last I inclosed a twenty dollar Bill—which I hope will come safe to your hand—

    I shall expect soon to hear from you, & the family—for which I begin to be anxious2—I hope to hear you have been able to get Nancy [Bigelow] to School at Portland3—When I hear she is there I shall write to her—I shall enjoine it upon her to attend Dancing & writing most diligently And if she does not go there, she must improve as much as she can at home—especially her writing—

    My arm is so affected with the Rhu[ma]tism that tis with great difficulty I write—but tis not worse than when I wrote last4

    Inclosed is the Presidents speech—It was delivered yesterday at twelve oClock to both Houses, & the most crouded audience I ever saw on a similar occasion—It being his last speech as President many attended that otherwise might not5—Many Ladies were present6

    We have no news from Europe later than what you will find in the Portland papers—Apropos—Pray make it a point to enjoine it upon our dear George to bring up all the papers from the post office & let none of them be lost.7

    Encourage Sally to improve her writing—I intend when we get a little over our present hurry, to write her—& she & Nancy must write me every post—

    Kiss our dear children for their father & believe me to be most affectionately yours

    * * *

    ALS, TFP. Addressed to Biddeford; franked.