1834 February 28, Philadelphia, to Alfred Cope

              Philada. 2mo 28. 1834



We have at last my dear son been favoured to hear from thee- thy Letters of the 21st 1mo having reached us 2 days ago- that is one to Henry & one to William.  These are all which have as yet been recd-  Much as all of us have been gratified to learn thy safe arrival at Madeira our pleasure would have been greatly increased to have some assurance of thy health having been improved.  We hope for the best & are thankful to find thou art spending thy time so agreeably- far away from the troubles which surround us on all hands- Our country is indeed in a very portentious condition.  Genl Jackson seems to be determined let the consequences be what they may, to crush the Bank of the United States.  & such is the foolish nay mad devotion of his immediate partizans, that they are as determined to support him, reckless as to the future.  To day we have a message from our Governor, to the Legislature, announcing the failure of his attempts to borrow money.  & labouring to throw the blame on the Bank- besides the injustice of this charge, he appears to be but little aware of the effect this will produce on money lenders at home & abroad.  Who are [---] thy set, & will be alarmed with fears that the state may not be able to pay the interest of its vast debt- Had he posessed the manliness to recommend the recharter of the Bk public confidence would at once have been restored, & with it the facility of borrowing.  He contemplated the stopage of the public works- Who will then be able to calculate the public loss?  There can of course be little or no income, & the works themselves must be injured if not ruined.



Our family concerns are going on much as usual.  Thy brother Wm is in a fair way of