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    To Sarah Savage Thatcher

    Philadelphia        4 December 1799

    My dear—

    As usual I shall write you but little on politics; a good woman who has the charge of seven or eight children has enough to occupy all her care & anxieties about her own empire, which tho smaller than a Kingdom is not of less importance to the happiness of the great body of individuals.

    I will only add—We have succeeded in choosing a federal Speaker, Theodore Sedgwick, from Massachusetts; & have re-elected the federal Clerk [Jonathan Williams Condy]; both against considerable opposition.1

    I am setled down at my old lodgings,2 & laid in a good store of Wood to keep me warm through the winter—I apprehend you have much colder weather than we have here—There is a very great contrast between this and the last season in point of coldness—The fever is not heard of—& it has raged with less destruction, this season, than the last3

    On my journey through Hartford I breckfasted with Mr. [Barzillai] Hudsons—They enquired particularly after your health & happiness; Olive will accompany me on my return, if nothing shall happen to prevent her journey4

    I hope soon to hear from home, & that all the members are in good health, & spirits—You only can concieve with how ardent a desire I want to take our dear little Josiah into my arms5—one of his smiles would be more delicious than the receipt of a days pay—The mention of his name brings to mind, & what I think you may not have heard of, that my brother Josiah died at Kingston [Massachusetts], two months ago, or more.6 This I had from Doctor [Samuel] Savage—He further added that he had been buried some time before any of our family at Yarmouth heard of his Death—I am now more satisfied than ever, at our giving his name to our dear baby—

    Embrace all the children in my name & encourage them to think & speak of their papa—

    Yours most affectionately

    * * *

    ALS, TFP. Addressed to Biddeford; franked. Notation on address sheet includes note (in GT’s hand), “This moment recd yours of the 28th Novr.”