Take time for your own affairs

[This is from a letter I wrote to Albert Gallatin, on September 18, 1801, on taking time off.]

I sincerely congratulate you on the better health of your son, as well as on the new addition to your family, and Mrs. Gallatin’s convalescence. I consider it as a trying experiment for a person from the mountains to pass the two bilious months on the tidewaters. I have not done it these 40 years, and nothing should induce me to do it. As it is not possible but that the administration must take some portion of time for their own affairs, I think it best they should select that season for absence. Genl. Washington set the example of those 2 months. Mr. Adams extended them to 8 months. I should not suppose our bringing it back to 2 months a ground for grumbling. But grumble who will, I will never pass those months on tide water.