The Will should be proved at the first Fairfax Court, and this can be easily done by Mr Lewis's carrying it up and presenting it to the Court for probate, the whole of it being in the Testator's own hand writing and that well Known by most of the members of the Court.

Your favor enclosing the residue of the examination in the case of Fries I received upon my arrival at this place, the former having come to hand a few days sooner. I know not how to apologize to you for the trouble you have taken upon this occasion; I certainly should not have made the request which produced it, if I could have formed the slightest idea of the labor to which I was about to expose you. I beg you to accept my warmest thanks, and upon similar occasions or otherwise to command my services.

Upon my arrival at Baltimore about the first of the month, I heard from Judge Chace, with great concern that you were too much indisposed to attend the Supreme Court. The fatigue to which you had been exposed during the Circuit was well calculated to produce this consequence, and you would have acted imprudently I think to venture upon so long a Journey in your then State of health. It will afford me very sincere pleasure to hear of your recovery.

     At sight of this my only bill of Exchange pay to John Fitzgerald or order for value recieved, eight hundred and seventy five dollars which charge to account of my Salary as one of the Justices of the supreme Court of the United States. Yr Hl. Sert

     Yesterday Evening we recieved a list of votes from the different Counties of this District, & I have now the pleasure of announcing to you the triumph of federalism in this Corner of the State. Genl Lee is elected by a majority of 32 votes. Had the election been postponed a week longer, it is generally believed that he would have divided even Doctr Jones's County. He had not time completely to do away the illfounded & unceasing calumies which were dayly propagated against him.

The deed from Genl Lee to you has been duly executed, acknowledged and certified, so as to entitle it to be recorded in the General Court. I shall in a few days send it down to the Clerk of that Court, to record it in June. I enclose your deed to Lee, that you may have it proved in Fairfax Court this month, and being certified by the Clerk you will immediately enclose it to "Mr <2m> Allen Clerk of the General Court—Richmond" with a request that he will in June have it admitted to record.

     I have look'd over & corrected the form of the agreement between you & Genl Lee & now enclose it to you. Under the corrections which I have made & which I think essentiel, it is as effectual as any which I could with more form have drawn. You will have to copy it with the corrections, which Mr Nevison can easily do.

I recieved with much pleasure, your polite and obliging letter by mr. Coleman, for which I very sincerely thank you.

Upon my return to this place I met with a Commission from the President of the United States appointing me one of the Judges of the supreme Court. This appointment I have accepted, and was induced thereto by the strongest motives. I was very unwilling to abandon a profession, to which I was much attached, and to the study of which I had devoted the greatest part of my life.

     I have lately recieved a letter from Mr Thomas Turner of King George, in which he expresses an ardent desire to enter into the service of his Country in the military line, and requests that I would mention him to you. This I do with much pleasure, because a long and intimate acquaintance with him assures me that there are few candidates who can possess more worth than he does. Warmly and I believe sincerely attached to the Government, he feels all that indignation which an American ought to feel against the unjust & unprovoked aggressions of our enemy.

     Your letter of the 12th inst. I duly recieved. Colo. Heth is very highly esteemed here by all men of respectability, who are not in opposite politics with himself. I have always heard him spoken of as a man of business, and as being both sober & prudent. Tho' I do not believe that he h<a>s been favored with a very liberal education, I consider him as possessed of a very strong mind, and of extremely good talents. He is a firm friend of the government, and very sincerely (I believe,) attached to you.

     I recieved a few days ago; a letter from Mr John Nicholas in which after speaking of the violence of a certain party in that County, and the lengths to which they go he says, "among other things, you will see in Davis's paper of the 24th July a hint at the affair with which you are acquainted from the celebrated John Langhorne himself.

I enclose you an alta. which you will please deliver to the Sheriff of Stafford. also Com. for taking depositions. If you approve of it, I will move the Court in Septr to direct a settlement of the accounts prayed for by your Bill, and have it referred to Commissioner Murray in Freds. you will please write me on this subject before Sept. I am Dear Sir very respectfully yrs.

     Your favor of the 22d with the enclosures I recieved. I do not altogether approve of the deeds and principally for the reasons which you give. I think that the deed from you to General Lee ought to state the cause of it's being made, by reciting that a deed for the same land had been executed by Lee to you, but the time for recording it having expired, and for the purpose of enabling Lee to reconvey to you so as to have the same recorded in time, you convey.

     I now enclose you a Subpœna, having obtained an injunction for Fendall & Young vs. Patten. I am very clear to myself, that if the facts as stated are supported, or not controverted, that the defendt P. will be decreed to accept a Conveyance of the Land and to pay or secure the payment of the consideration mony yet due, and will be injoined from proceeding upon his Judgment.

     Without reciting here, the substance of the correspondence between Mr Robert Carter and his Sons & Sons in Law respecting the disposition of his Virginia estate amongst them, I will only observe that I have read & considered it. My opinion is, that the engagements therein made are obligatory upon him, and that a Court of Equity will compel a specific execution of them. They are entered into upon consideration deemed good in Law, and also upon a valuable consideration.

     I shall lose no time in acquitting myself of inattention to your last favor (but one) with which you might without injustice have charged me, not Knowing the reason of my silence.

It has not (thank God) proceeded from indisposition, yet I feel grateful for your affectionate solicitude upon that subject.

     I recd your favor under cover from Mr Ross by the last post. Upon an application made sometime ago to the Gentleman who had the care of Mr Campbells papers for those which belong to you, he informed me that he had recieved them in a state of such disorder that until they were arranged he could not s[ay] with certainty whether yours were amongst [th]em or not. so far as his examination had g[o]t, he had not discovered them. He promised to get them into order as soon [as] his professional engagements would pe[rmit].

     I am quite disappointed in not having it in my power to give you satisfactory information upon the subject of your last letter.

     I have been twice to the Auditors office, and have had the Commissioners books examined.

     Porter has satisfactorily explained to me the affair of the $200 and therefore requests that you will proceed with the execution without loss of time. with much esteem I am Dr Sir yr mo. ob. Sevt

     Your forbearance is but a continuing proof of that goodness I have so long experienced in you & admired— to relate all the causes of my Silence & omission to give you the necessary information upon the points stated so long ago to me, would swell this letter, without convincing you more thoroughly than I trust you now are, that want of friendship for you had no hand in producing it.

     I have at length procured from the Auditors office a rough Statement of Yr Taxes in Kanawa for the 6 years mentioned in Aldersons order, by which you will discover that they differ £1.11.7 from the amount there stated. But as the difference is trifling, and the Auditor may very probably have made a mistake in the calculation (for he did it in a hurry) it would probably be better to pay it, (tho' too much) than run the risque of a forfeiture or having them sold.

     Your favor of the 18th I duly recieved. I could not obtain from the Auditors Office the information you desire, so as to communicate it by this post, nor do I expect to recieve it for some days— The Auditor promises to give it me as soon as his other business will permit, which he thinks will be in the Course of a week or ten days, observing at the same time that you cannot be injured by the delay. You may depend upon my attention to the business, and of hearing from me the moment I have it in my power to afford you the desired information.

     In tracing the title of the protestant Episcopal Church to the Glebes, churches, and other property appertaining thereto I do not deem it necessary for its advocates to rely upon the laws which passed upon the subject posterior to the formation of our constitution.

I was very much surprized yesterday, to meet with Mrs Forbes at my office.

     I had no doubt of her having been long since at Mount Vernon.