I yesterday recd your favor of the 8th. I have no objection to the alterations in the petition which you suggest, altho' I apprehend no inconvenience which the devisees of the General ought to apprehend from disclosing the defects in their title to the Northwestern lands. This Subject had not escaped my attenti<on,> and so long as there was a prospect of securing the title under <mutilated> warrants I concealed this weakness from all but those with whom I was compelled to consult for the purpose of protecting the title. As I now despair of success except from Congress, I am less solicitous about the secret, because the whole must be divulged to the Committee to whom our petition is referred. Should you be a true prophet as to the fate of this application, it is, in my mind, of little consequence, how public the defect in our <tit>le may become, for the executors could not sell without communicating this circumstance to the purchaser, which would at once defect the Sale, & no legatee would think a division of such property worth the expense of making it. There may however exist a reason for preventing a premature disclosure of these circumstances until the question comes before the Committee, which might be less important afterwards, on which account, your correction may be proper.

     I think the sooner the petition is brought on, & the more rapidly it is pushed forward the better. I enclose <y>ou a rough draught of a bill subject however to such alterations <as> you may think proper to make. Whenever you may direct, the patents &c. shall be sent up to you to be laid before the Committee.

     Do you think a general law could be passed to comprehend this case? That might be better than bringing forward this particular one. I shall be glad to hear from you on this Subject when convenient. I am Dr Sir very respectfully yr ob. Sert