Having lately heard, that the appointment of the officers of the federal court will be vested in the judges, I take the liberty of asking your opinion, whether it would be worth my while to solicit the office of attorney in the federal court of this State, and for your advice about the most proper mode of making application. If this office has been thought of by others, my chance may be destroyed, not only by prior candidates, but by superior merit; and in that case it would be both prudent and honest in me to decline.

     I Rec'd your Letter Hond & D Madam by Mr Buckner yesterday, I am happy to hear by him that you are now in a good state of health— I discover from your sentiments that you are contented, & your Son most ardently hopes Happy.

     I was very sorry that Business at Court obliging me to be in Town on Monday last, prevented me from calling at Mount Vernon on my way up. since then I have been, & I suppose shall continue to be under the necessity of attending Court all the week; should you not leave Home before Sunday, I shall on that day wait on you.

     I take this opportunity by Mr Packet (who goes up with my furniture) to return you my very grateful thanks for the offer you were pleased to make me of your House, rent free.

     From a variety of reasons which have for some time past operated upon my mind, It has become in my Judgment necessary for me to remove from this part of the Country, and to fix in some Town. my inclination leads me towards Alexandria whether I shall act with prudence and wisdom in this change of Situation, I can only determine from the force of those reasons upon my mind, which have principally influenced it.

     As an Executor to my Father, I am involved in an affair which has given me much concern, and which is likely to afford me some trouble, and as it is difficult for me to determine in what manner to act, I take the liberty of asking your advice, and as fare as you can give it, your assistance. Doctor Stewart as administrator to Mr Custice had a Bond agt my uncle Sam, which was very nearly out of date, and rendered it necessary for him either to commence suit immediately, or to have it renewed.

     I recieved your favour of the 4th Inst.

     The convention has hitherto made a very slow progress towards finishing the business before them, and leads me to apprehend, that we shall be detained here much longer than I at first expected. We have determined to go through the constitution clause by clause, before any question shall be put. This regulation, if attended to, would expedite the business, by confining us to the particular parts objected to. But the debates have hitherto been general and desultory, although we have proceeded no farther than the third section of the first clause.

     I engag'd to pay Mr Giles, at the approaching Convent<io>n 32½ Guineas, b<u>t if I recollect right, you were so obliging as to promise to settle that Debt for me and to allow me a more convenient Time to repay it. On this Subject, however, we were not explicit, and I must therefore request an Answer to t<hi>s Letter.

     Mr Wm A. Washington requested that I would get the Organ conveyed to this place, that he might the more conveniently procure a water carriage for it from hence to his House. I send a Cart for this purpose, and if it can be removed in this manner without injury you will oblige me by assisting my Servants with your advice about the proper manner of bringing it. I am Sir Your Obedt Humbl. Servant

Well knowing how entirely our Country is cut off from information on public affairs, I take the liberty of enclosing you a copy of the federal Constitution and of the Resolutions of our house thereon. I have no doubt but that you will discover some imperfections in it, but when it is considered that it is the child of mutual concessions between States different in Situation and Interest, and that without some Efficient Government we must shortly be involved in Anarchy that certain¹ road to Despotism. I think that we should not hesitate concerning its adoption.

     I take the liberty of Enclosing you a Copy of the foederal Convention, and of the resolutions of our house upon the same subject. An attempt has been made to repeal the Port law, but it has been rejected by a very great majority who nevertheless seem disposed to amend it, in such a manner as to confine the restrictions to foreign vessels only & either to have but one Port at Norfolk or a great many. if the latter method is adopted I hope we may get one at Yeocomico.

     I ret'd¹ to Town yesterday Evening and in Fredg, found² your Note of the, 6 of august in the Post office of that place; this will account for its not having been sooner answered[.] I am this moment furnished with yours of the 3d Instant. The language of the first gave me some degree of astonishment, as it was unexpected, so I am conscious it was unmerated & I therefore take the liberty of enclosing it back to you..

     The Post will sett off in 10 Minutes so that you may expect that that time can only be devoted to Business.

     The motives, which gave birth to the Society, were these.

     If it should be necessary for the Garnishees at the Suit of Foust & Stoddart to give Bail, Mr Thomas Bond will enter himself, and if thought insufficient will find other Bail. If it should be necessary to have the depositions of the Legatees taken, please enclose three seperate Commissions to me, I will give the proper Notices, and attend the taking of them. I imagine that Blank Commissions might be sent, and the Commissioners names inserted in Virginia, as I am not much acquainted with the most proper persons in the County where one of the Legatees resides.

     We have lately instituted a society in these lower counties, called the Patriotic Society. As it is something new, and there are a few men both good and sensible who disapprove of it, it will be a high gratification to me to know your sentiments of it, if you will be so kind as to communicate them.

     I was very much delighted at recieving your last Letter; I began to fear that you had also blotted me from your remembrance. The reasons you assigned for your silence was entirely satisfactory; I know that business must be done, and that none requires a more devoted attention, than that in which you are engaged.

     It is with real pleasure that I acknowledge your agreable favor of the 10th Decr—such a friend and Correspondent is worth possessing; I may almost say, that you are the only one I have in the world; others I have had, but absence has weened me from their affections and Remembrance, and by this time, I suppose it is scarcely within the Memory of any in Philadelphia that such a creature as B— W— ever was there. Your solicitude my friend makes one exception and it is with delight, that I acknowledge it.

     As I have not the Honor of your acquaintance, it is with diffidence that I make this application for your Assistance in obtaining the Clerkship of the Assize Court for the District of the four lower Counties in the Northern Neck, being well assured, that your choice will fall on the most deserving Candidate. I am now pursuing the practice of the Law, and I flatter myself, that the little knowledge I have of it, will enable me to conduct with tolerarble Accuracy the business of the Office I sollicit.

     John has asked permission to go down; I suppose it is to be marryed; I have consented, although it is very inconvenient to want a Servant— he has promised me to return on Tuesday next, which I have insisted upon his doing, though I hardly expect it— whether he can wait on me with a wife in Westmoreland is a matter of great doubt, but he is clear that no inconvenience will attend it, and expresses so much anxiety to remain with me, and makes such fair promises of amendment in his behaviour, that I intend at least to make the trial.

Since I came to Virginia, I have generally been so buryed in Retirement as to want opportunities of writing to Philadelphia— You Sir, are the first, to whom my respects are due; permit me to return you my sincere thanks and acknowledgment for the attention and politeness with which you favored me whilst under your care, but most of all for those advantages which I derived from your friendly and instructive Communications in the line of my Studies— Favors which associate in them both utility and complaisance make the deepest impressions on my heart, and fill it with affecti

     I Engaged Mr Donnison who went from yeocomico to Baltimore, to bring my Library to Virginia, and my Father wrote you a Letter upon the Subject, but he returned without it, much to my dissapointment, and assigned as a reason the Danger of the Frost— I feel the want of it sensibly— I must request the favor of you to interest yourself particularly in discovering the most expeditious mode of conveying them to me— A Vessel coming immediately to this place would be the most desirable opportunity, but If a previous one to yeocomico, or Nomony on Potowmack, or to Leeds Town o

     I had the pleasure to see Mr Byrd at Westover a few weeks past, and spent near¹ a week there very much to my satisfaction‑ I wish I had time to write as much about this family as I could wish, but I am compelled to relinquish the pen in a few minutes‑ The reason of my writing at present is to inclose you two Letters which when I undertook to convey, I expected to deliver personally; but some unexpected events has prevented me‑ I hope to see you in the winter, when I shall have a great deal to tell you‑ Present my affece compliments to your Family, to Mr &am

     The Captain of the Boat who delivers this, will return directly to Mattox Bridge and will offer a very, safe and speedy Conveyance for my chest and other articles from Philadelphia if fortunately they should have arrived— If they should not, you will much oblidge me by taking the earliest opportunity of sending them down— The articles which I left to be sent from Philadelphia, were 1 Chest—1 Saddle Box—1 Hatbox—1 Umbrella—1 Sword stick— I am with Esteem Dr Sir your Obt H. Servant