Carlisle 12th Feby. 1783 Dear Sir Your Favour from BordenTown of the 20th. December being just come to hand - me, my worthy Old friend and that at the worst of times, that a line from your hand, after your late Vississitudes of fortune, safe passage at a perilous hour, and farther intercourse with the Old World, gives me Secret & peculiar pleasure - the great first Cause is indeed the God of our lives & the length of our days! Altho' you have not by letter heard from me Since your arrival, (for which defect, mere accident & failure of memory was the cause) I have assuredly, and repeatedly mentioned my regards for you in Sunday letters to friends, asking to know how & where you were - And when the publick papers announced the deceased of your Virtuous spouse & my amiable Countrymen, I wrote Mr. John Mease, that if death should overtake either you or I, before yr. arrival here, that he would please to keep my letter as testimony of my Obligation to you, mentioning the affair explicitly as it was. but hearing nothing from Mr. Mease, has led me to doubt, a miscarriage of the letter. In a short letter of friendship, it would be vain to enter upon our political affairs in their present Licentious & complicated State, farther than to Say that the debates respecting matters of this Government, are in my Opinion carried much too far - I wish those animosities & high mutual jealousies to Subside; but whatever party has been the aggressor in Stiring them up, is most to blame at present. I am apprehensive that each party looks for an high Superiority, if not an exclusive Sway - This is all wrong - [2] I hope Peace is not far distant & assure you we want it much, if on fair solid ground. By this Conveyance I shall write to two Gentn. lest One Should fail to proncure [sic] a piece of the fine Linnen for your use, and in Lieu of that you so Obligingly lent to me. I hope it will be good altho' it may not be Irish Manufacture, and shall be impatient until I know that it is deposited in the hands of Mr. Mease; which I trust you may reasonably expect in the space of three Weeks - I say three Weeks, because One may pass over before I get a conveyance for these letters. - my wishes for your Welfare Oblige me to Ask what part of Europe you design to Settle in? and that you will favour me with another letter before you Sail. In your temporal affairs & mine, there is but too great a Similarity, and we have known the world too long to expect that an adequate reward will always follow a faithful discharged of duty - this is not the man[n]er of Man - but the virtuous reflection to which you properly have recourse, must in the present case probably Suffice us both - In our breasts we shall carry the Consequence of our Own conduct - to God we Owe all we have, & to our country insubordination to his Will - In this Sense we are but unprofitable Servants - yet may humbly look to this Supreme doner, not for rewards of debt, but of Sovereign grace, thro' the perfect Obedience & Mediation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am Dear sir, with Sentiments of real Regard & Esteem Your Affectionate friend John Armstrong Mr. Searle [address leaf:] James Searle Esquire at Bordenton To be forwarded by favour of Mr. John Mease [docket:] Genl. A[r]mstong 12 Feb. 1783