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From Charles Caldwell

Dear Sir,

     I have the pleasure of addressing to you this note, to serve as a memorandum of—what possibly in the multiplicity of more important engagements might for a time escape your recollection—the conversation we held and the promise your goodness induced you to make, touching biographical memoirs of Richard Henry Lee and the Honbe Chief Justice Marshall. If any thing could enhance the value of the articles themselves, it would be the pens that may prepare them, and the early period of time at which they may be recieved. To render the memoir complete, an accompanying likeness, if to be procured, of the personage memorialized, is requisite.

     Will you, provided you recollect it, favour me by my son, with the address of Mr Leigh or Lee, I believe of Petersburgh, Virginia, who is the intimate personal and political friend of John Randolph? Very respectfully, I have the honour to be Your obedt and Humble Servant

Ch: Caldwell

P.S. Capt. Warrington who has achieved the late naval victory, is a Virginian. Pray are you in possession of any materials that might aid in making up a hasty memoir, or outline of a memoir, in relation to him? If so, I am too well apprized of your goodness to doubt that, at an hour of leisure, you will furnish me with them. 

     Gentlemen who serve their country more for fame than profit, ought not to be denied that most grateful of rewards. It is, therefore, my wish to give, and that promptly, some complimentary yet just record of the gallant Capt. Warrington.

C.C.

Source Note

ALS, ViMtvL: Bushrod Washington Family Papers. On the cover, BW has endorsed the letter as being from "Doctr Caldwell."