From Benjamin Rush
Philada Septemr 24. 1804
Dr Sir,
I beg your pardon for being so troublesome to you with my letters.
My son called at Mr Wayne's immediately after my receving your last letter, but did not see him till the next day. He told him the letter you kindly consented to suppress had been struck off1 in its original State. Upon being told by my Son, that I would chearfully defray the expences of reprinting the sheet that contained it, he said he would wait till you came to Philada2 in order to be supplied with some matter, to occupy the blank made by the Abstraction of the letter. As this may not be practicable, & as yr journey to Philada may be delayed,3 I take the liberty of suggesting to you, that the erasure of the two sentences formerly mentioned that reflect upon me will be satisfactory. I4 wish it to be done so as not to leave a suspicion of a chasm in the letter in the public mind. As the erasure will not make more than 10 or 12 lines, the new sheet may be so composed, as that those erasures will not be perceived.
I have only to request one more favor & that is that your instructions5 to Mr Wayne be of a positive nature.
Did you know the distress which this business has given to me, & to those branches of my family who are acquainted with it you would excuse the solicitude I have discovered to leave nothing to accident in it. With great respect I am Dr sir your sincere & obliged friend
Benjn Rush
BW—PS I will thank you to accompany your letter to Mr Wayne by a letter to my son Richd Rush—Attorney at Law Philada informing him of your instructions to Mr Wayne. When I have the pleasure of seeing in Philada I will give you my reasons for this request.
Source Note
ADfS, PPL. This appears to be Rush's retained copy of a letter written to BW.
1. In place of the words "struck off" Rush had originally written "printed."
2. Rush first wrote "town" in place of "Philada" but crossed it out.
3. Rush first wrote "accidentally delayed" but crossed out the first word.
4. After the word "I" Rush first wrote "leave it to you" but crossed it out.
5. Rush first wrote "letter to Mr. Wayne" in place of the word "instructions.
Note: Because this document is only a verified first-pass transcription, it and the document metadata may still contain errors.