Philidelphia. Dec. 20th 1818

My Dear Letitia, 

Your last letter afforded me much gratification 
for I fancied that you had written it in high spirits and that you 
were as happy as under all circumstances now could be. Our 
dear little Mary is often the subject of my meditations, and 
Robert I suppose is as sweet as he can be now that he begins to 
talk. You and them my dear wife constantly occupy my 
thoughts. Now inspects a will to see in a situation to 
[return] to private life, so that I may be constantly with you. 
[S--] is my ardent desire and but for the circumstance 
of my [?] that my friends, in the District have a 
right to expect me to continue for another Congress, I should 
certainly cease to be a public man. I will however make 
no rash promises, but be govern'd by circumstances. In my 
[last] I stated that it was probable I should be with you 
at X mas, but circumstances have render'd it impossible, 
the Inquiry in which my committee is engag'd is of the most 
[delic-] and at the same time responsible nature, so that 
when we fancy we are near upon finishing some new object 
springs up and detains us longer. There is now 
every probability of our finishing on Tomorrow, and after Mr 
Lownes and myself go on to Washington. The other gentlemen 
will stop for a few days in Baltimore.

My Dear Letitia,                                                                             Philadelphia Dec. 20th 1878
Your last letter afforded me much gratification for I fancied that you had written it in high spirits and that you were as happy as under all circumstances you could be. Our dear little Mary is often the subject of my meditations and Robert I suppose is as sweet as he can be now that he begins to talk now and then my dear wife constantly occupy my thoughts. You [?] a wish to see me in a situation to [return?] to private life so that I may be constantly with you. [?] is my ardent desire and but for the circumstance of my [?] that my friends in the District have a [?] to [?] me to continue for another [?], I should certainly cease to be a public man. I will however make no [?] promises, but be govern'd by circumstances. In my [?] I stated that it was probable I should be with you at x mas but circumstances have rendered it improbable. The inquiry in which my committee is engaged is of the most [delicate?] and at the same time responsible nature so that when we fancy we are near upon finishing some new object springs up and detains us longer. There is now every probability of our finishing on tomorrow and [?] Lownes and myself go on to Washington. The other gentle men will stop for a few days in Baltimore

We shall probably reach Washington on Thursday and I shall leave 
it for Richmond on the Saturday Sunday or Monday following if I can 
visit you at all. So that you may expect me sometime during 
the week after you receive this or if I do not come, ascribe 
it to the impossibility of my getting away- You will say 
my Dear Letitia that this is but an unsatisfactory account of 
myself. I readily admit it, but in truth I can give no better. 
Therefore so not expect me with too much certainty for fear that 
you may be disappointed- nothing but a sense of duty can 
keep me from you. I suppose this will find you at your 
father's surrounded by your friends, give my love to all of them. 
You will no doubt remain with them for a week after Christmas 
and if I come on I shall visit you there unless you 
give me other directions by your next letter which I hope 
to receive the day after tomorrow. At present I shall 
add no more than ask you to kiss the children for me [a?] 
believe me to be
Your affectionate
J. Tyler

P.S. Dont look for me on any particular day - 
[?] to hire a boy or a man for me.