It affords me much pleasure, my dear William, to comply with your request to give you letters of introduction to Judges Brook & Dade. I should send you one also to Judge Coalter but I am inclined to think that he resides very remote from the other gentlemen, & that there is a Judge much nearer to them altho I cannot for my life recollect his name. You can call upon the gentlemen to whom I have written on your way to visit us.

     You have no doubt been informed, that our testator, some time before his death, sold his Dismal Swamp property to Gen. Lee, without however, having made a deed for the same. Some part of the consideration money was paid, but the exact amount is not now recollected.

     I yesterday saw Mr Lewis and found that by a strange mistake, Hicks bonds had not been taken to you, but to the heirs of Fielding Lewis. When I was urged by Mr Lewis in August to allow Robt Lewis to settle with the heirs of F.L. and to assign the debt from Hicks to you, I refused, not thinking ourselves at liberty to force the exchange upon you. But as I was clear that it would be to your advantage to accede to the proposal, I promised to write to you on the subject & to state my opinion.

     I wished very much to have called at Rock hill yesterday, but Mrs Washingtons' anxiety to see her sister & our apprehension that it would be too late after a regular dinner to get to Greenwood, induced us to stop at Crawfurds whilst an early cut was provided for us, immediately after which we left Georgetown and with difficulty got here before night.

     Genl Washington in his life time sold to Archd McClain, what was call'd the round bottom tract, on the Ohio, containing 587 acres, with a general Warranty, at the price of ten dollars an Acre. He was bound to take in part payment a House in Alexa. at valuation, The house has been valued, (very high as we think) and possession deliver'd to us. McClain has been sued by Tomlinson for a considerable part of this land, and a judgment was render'd against him as we understand, upon the ground that the survey was made prior to the warrant.

     I read your letter of the 15th. Please inform Mr Caldwell that we have no bond or other instrument from Mr Parks on which a suit can be found against him in Maryland. I think his best way would be to bring a suit in the Chancery court of Virginia against the land or in Maryland agt Mr Parks personally & only resort to the Chancery suit in case it Should become necessary which I presume certanly would not be the case as Mr P. must be suffisient for a much larger sum than what he ows the estate what I mean to express is that Mr P.

     I have just time to send you the enclosed which I found here on my return from Jefferson County the day before yesterday.

     I have so many letters to answer & so much other business to transact that I scarcely know what to begin with first.

     Present our love to Mrs W. & believe me My dear Sir very truly yr friend

I have sent the deed to Mr Parks to mr Lewis to execute with a request that he wd enclose it to you before friday. Should you not recieve it it will be unimportant as Mr Parks at any rate would have to send it back to us to have it recorded & therefore the mere form of sending to Mr Parks is altogether unecessary. you can write him so by mr Hoy who will nevertheless get the mortgage executed.

I am just setting off from home & am much hurried. Sincerely yr affect friend

     Your letter of the 21: I recd yesterday. I have written to Mr Robinson agreable to your request, and I hope he will accede to your proposal. I enclose you a certificate respecting the time <when> you sent me your account agt Mr Robinson.

Your letter of the 4th has Just come to hand; that of the 23 Ultimo was recieved some days earlier. I shall use my best exertions to fulfill your wishes expressed in both & am now engaged on the subject of the War tho with nothing like certainty as to its success. I will write you the moment that any thing occurs worth mentioning.

     I am much gratified by the visit which my nephew has made me, as well as with his improvement in every respect. I doubt not that his future progress in life will Justify the expectations which, from present Appearances, his friends may fairly entertain of him.

     Mr Lawrence Lewis was here yesterday, & informed me that he had consented to a proportion made by Robert & Howel Lewis that the former might settle with the latter $4537.86 of his debt, and in lieu thereof that Mr Parks of Baltimore should pay his debt to you instead of Howel Lewis. This he was induced to do because in consequence of some bargain between his brothers such an arrangement would accomodate them, and he was convinced that Robert Lewis would not have been able to raise the mony for you.

     As we cannot flatter the creditor Legatees with any considerable collections from those whose purchases exceeded their shares, it has occurred to us that it would be convenient and agreable to the creditors to recieve an assignment of the debts from which they might derive an immediate benefit; indeed this idea has been suggested to us by many of the Creditor legatees.

     Having a large sum of mony to pay to Mr Bernard, I shall be obliged to get my nephew to carry it down to him. He will call at Haywood, but as well on account of his health as of his studies I hope he will not remain in the lower Country more than a day or two, unless you should wish otherwise.

     I am happy to find that you have at length got fixed at your new purchase, and I sincerely hope that in every respect, but more especially as to its healthiness it may surpass your strongest expectations.

     The meeting of the Legatees after two days sitting rose yesterday. We resolved to sell amongst ourselves all the property except the Kanawha and Ohio lands, the Kentucky & N. W. territory lands, the Mohawk, Nansemond d[itt]o & the improved Lots in Washington.

The Charles County land sold for                       $4.950

Lotts in Alexa.                                         8 923.19

     Your proportion of the United States Stock which has been sold, is $163.5 which is lodged in the bank and will be paid at any time to your order. You had better also draw for the Share of my Sisters children forwarding however with your draft an order from Mr Robinson for his part.

     In haste I am My dear Sir Yrs affectionately

     Mr Stith delivered me your letter of the 28th Novr on the race field at Washington, after which I did not see him, but have been expecting him here for two days. At the time I recd the letter, Mr George Washington, who had gone to Baltimore to dispose of the Stock had not returned. He came the next day having effected a Sale upon as good terms as could be expected, and I expect him here today or tomorrow with the mony— If he does not disappoint me & Mr Stith should also come, I will pay him your proportion.

     I recd your favor of the 1st Inst. which a few moments only are allowed me to acknowledge. The house has been full of company since our return, and I can hardly expect to have much leisure, until the visits of ceremony are at an end.

     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.

Your Bill in favour of Mr Carter I accepted & have since paid. I had no mony at that time of yours in my hands, but immediately made sale of the Certificates at their highest current price & got from the Governor the Balance of the Bill. I enclose you a Statement of the account by which you will see that there is [<2m#>] yet in his hands which he will pay you when he goes over to Westmoreland in a few days.

     On Monday I got up to Colo. Blackburns from Fredg the next day I went to Alexa. hoping to dispose of your Tobo & to send down the money by Mr Lee who I heard was there.

     The enclosed I got at the post Office yesterday, having seen it before advertised knowing the Land I took the liberty of opening it. I wish the delay of it may not be inconvenient to You.