From John Marshall
Winchester Aug. 19th 1827
My dear Sir
I received the day before yesterday at my brothers your letter of the 7th and am much concerned to hear that your health has not been so good as I had been led to hope it was from what I had heard concerning it on your leaving Philadelphia. As your chills have left you we may however indulge the expectation that the Dyspepsy which has persecuted you will follow them or at least be greatly moderated.
I regret very much that it is not in my power to say with any certainty when I shall again be in this place. I set out to day for Romney where I must be to morrow. I hope to meet a gentleman there with whom I have business. Should he meet me I shall return on tuesday & shall be in Winchester on Wednesday in the forenoon. Should my hope of meeting this gentleman in Romney be disappointed I must proceed to Cumberland in Maryland, and cannot be in Winchester till late in the week. I should feel much pleasure in diverging from my course for the pleasure of seeing you & Mr Turner, but I am compelled by business to hasten my return to Fauquier. I am to meet some persons at Fauquier court house on monday that is tomorrow week.
Should I not have the pleasure to see Mr Turner, have the goodness to tell him that I hope we will be able to communicate by letter the subject on which he wishes to converse with me.
I received a packet from him last autumn for Mr Gaston which I delivered. I should have mentioned its delivery to Mr Turner but took it for granted that Mr Gaston had written to him. It was my purpose to ask Mr Gaston last spring for his commands to Mr Turner, but he did not attend that session of the circuit court. It will give me much regret if the restrictions on my time should prevent my seeing Mr Turner and thereby produce any disappointment to him. I should feel great pleasure in doing any thing within my reach for his accommodation. With the best wishes for your health & happiness I am my dear Sir affectionately yours
J. Marshall
ALS, DLC: John Marshall Papers. Marshall addressed the letter to BW at Blakely near Charleston in Jefferson County. The letter was postmarked in Winchester, Va. on 20 August. BW endorsed the letter.