Your letter of 3d inst. has just come to hand. Enclosed are copies of Tomlinson's bill & Cresap's Decree nisi. The copy of George Cox's deposition in Cresap's case is mislaid & I cannot at this moment lay my hand on it. You have seen it. Tomlinsons deposition however contains all the material testimony of the other; and perhaps the substance of all that can be exhibited. Mark Hardin's deposition has I suppose been taken in Kentucky & John Jeremiah Jacobs's in Oldtown; but no copy of either has yet been received by me. The object of the latter was to prove the infancy of the heirs of Michael Cresap senr at his death. Tomlinson gave me notice of his intention to take the Deposition of Geo. Cox and Mark Hardin in his case; but presuming they would be the same as those in Cresap's I have not applied for copies.

I called on Mr Doddridge with your letter. He then declined acting & said he would write to you & state his reason's for declining.

You do not mention having received any letter from him. Last mail however brot me a letter from him saying that he had recommended to you Mr Alexr Caldwell to draw our answers. I have not an exalted opinion of Mr C's qualifications yet he does a good deal of Chancery business. I still think Mr Doddridge is inclined¹ to take a fee, as he wrote me he could not decide whether he would aid or not till he could see the bills.

My impression was, when I asked your advice on the subject, that you would probably get Mr Wickham to make the main dra[ugh]t of the answers.

It was not possible for me to have the answers filed before the last term; as I got home only two days before the session. I waited on Mr Doddridge the day after my arrival, who told me that the decree nisi could be of no disadvantage any more than an office judgt in case of a common suit at law. Mr Doddridge advised me, in his letter, recd by last mail, to get Mr C. to draw an answer to Tomlinson's bill to prevent the service of the attachmt which had been issued, as an answer hastily drawn for such a purpose might be amended; but the service had been previously made.

I shall take an early opportunity of having a further consultation with Mr D. & will inform you of the result. Most respectfully yours