[added:

I have but little to write about but you will no doubt be glad to hear from this [unclear: benighted ] country. You will excuse me for writing first about myself as it is generally not considered genteel, but circumstances alter cases. I will leave here in a day or two for the City of New York where I shall remain a day or two or three, and then for home only to stay long enough to say howdy and off again to New Orleans , again to contend with yellow fever and Cholera. It is unfortunate that I am so unlucky but I will have to submit with the best grace possible. I do not believe that Gen [General] Lawson would have sent me there if he could have avoided it until fall, but just now I have to become a victim to the urgent necessities of Uncle Sam , for myself I do not care, but I am not so well

pleased on my family's account. I do not want to carry them into danger if there is any. Yet I will hate if possible more to carry [added: leave] them behind me, and I have a disagreable [disagreeable] horn of a delemma [dilemma] to seize either way I can fix it. I am sorry I cannot stay longer in North Alabama , as I had anticipated much pleasure this summer. All the gaming and fishing will have to be delayed until another spring.

The political world is as quiet as you can imagine. Genl [General] Taylor does not give satisfaction to his Whig friends he does not make removals enough or rather he will not sanction any removals and hence the office seekers are wonderfully disappointed, many have left the city grumbling and vowing they will have revenge, others still hang on in hopes that a change will soon take place. I cannot say what will be the result in the end. The president certainly possesses the quality of keeping his own counsel to perfection, up to this time none but his most intimate

friends know what is his course is to be. It is true that many of his appointments so far have had a singular cast, but that argues more for the Generals want of political knowledge than any thing else.

I must refer you to the papers for the particulars of what is going on here, and do not put too much faith in Old man Ritchie he is decidedly too much prejudiced against the Whigs to do them justice. I believe the Baltimore "Sun" and the New York "Herald" are the best papers as far as the news is concerned we have, and I shall myself take one of them on that account, probably the "Sun."

Betty joins me in love to Ann , Ma, Rachel , Cate , Joshua , Andrew , Sis and John . We hope soon to see you all if it is only for a few days.

We all keep well.

Your Brother

Andrew J. [Jackson] Coffee