[draft] My dear Sir 26 Feby 1787 - pm Having missed the post at Hartford, & affraid of missing the next, & thereby incurring, at least, the censure of neglect, I have just time to say, that thus far we have got, on our way home, without any accident, of material note, happening. The worst & indeed only one has been, the cursed horses stoping the two first days at every high hill. After being [posted], and their ears well whipped they have done well ever since. Mrs Swan is realy wore out; - her health I am in hopes, will not be endanger'd by the fatigue; but if it was to do again, I would never go by land. Short days - the hard roads [strikeout] [inserted: leaving us] fast, a thousand difficulties & hardships, which a Lady is not fitted to bear, all urge a water journey in future. Genl. Lincoln is to be in Town in a few days - when I shall learn my future rank. Humphrey's we saw in Springfield, dress'd in all the extra ellegance of Paris, of this & other things more when in Boston. With all that heart can feel, and tongue express, Mrs. Swan joins me in to you & your good Lady & family - Ever I am sincerly Your assured friend James Swan Mr Genl Knox Dorchester Wedny. 28th. Feby. 87 After passing thro' Worchester, I again forgot to drop this Letter at the Post office, occasion'd by our being obliged, tho' in the evening to go on to Shrewsbury: the discharged troops filling all the Taverns. - Last night we got home & found the family perfectly [2] well. The fatigue of the Journey, - the voice of the children, and the novelty & pleasure of our situation, quite overcame Mrs. Swan, & she is realy sick. Our Horses have perform'd wonderfully will, as the day we set out, could be called but half a one, & we passed most of friday at Mr. Broomes - On Sunday we met Col. Humphries at Springfield. He was dressed most elegantly & I think a very polite genteel man. When men like him feel the importance of office and know how to maintain the dignity of it, - they not only do honor to themselves, but they also make the office respectable. Genl Lincoln is expected in town in a few days as Maj. Cushing, [escorte] by young Newman & drove by Pease going to Springfield with money for the New levies, acquainted in Brookfield. This will save me making a sudden journey to the Westward. - I find [strikeout] that in the late commotions, I was at least misled in Dorchester and I find an infinite satisfaction in learning, that every one supposed my absence, as it realy was, to have been earlier than [inserted: the plan of] the late expedition was made public. I found much amusement on traveling through this state, in collecting the sentiments of the people respecting the next choice of Govr. - Hancock & Lincoln, seem to be principally talk'd of. The reasons they give for it were, that both were Military men, & altho' H. was not so much so as yet both were more so than [Bowdn] - That a change of men, would probably bring about a change of measures - That an acting chief Magist. was better than a Counciling one - That money might be saved by it &c. - in short I found that friends of each party had been sowing seeds in favour of their patron, & the most vile calumny had been propagated against each by the other. At Shrewsbury I found a most villainous lie inserting itself [inserted: in the deepest impressions] on the minds of the yeomen & soldiery there [3] there present, that H & one of the judges of the Supreme Court were the principal supporters of Chayse. Falsehood so daringly asserted & so cautiously invented to ruin H's pretentions, must appear to all but the credulous the weak efforts of a weak party. To tack the Judge to H. carries more probabilities than if H. was alone - The design was doubtless to render it so without giving time to think of or harbor the monster, I damn'd the idea, & assured the whole assembly with which they appear'd satisfied, that there was not the least foundation for such a suspicion. Truth I will ever espouse altho' it shall opperate to the forwarding the man whom I do not so will esteem or another - I am afraid these parties will send still more to distract us - and that this Government will be [inserted: the] first - that falls [inserted: from] altho' it was the foremost in establishing the freedom & Independence of America. Considering the load of business that [illegible] upon you; I ought to trouble you but seldom with my impertinents. The present you sought for - it is of friendship to tell you of our safe arrival Mrs. S. will write your Lady by next post to whom I beg to be presented with all respect & gratitude and to you I shall ever remain very sincerely Dear Sir your [obliged] friend James Swan [address leaf] The Honbl. Major Genl. Knox Secretary at War New York [docket] James Swan Esqr. Dorchester 27 February, and 1st March 1787