In court, & on the verge of a trial, I can only state my dear sir that you have been correctly informed as to my prohibition of steam boat parties to M. V.— it has been made public for more than 3 years & was repeated more than 12 months ago. Of the necessity of the measure I could satisfy you in a few minutes, as well as of the propriety of adhering to it without making exceptions in any case. The fact is that a single dispensation would be equivalent to a total revocation.

I have just recd a letter from one of my daughters requesting me to ask Judge Washington if it is true that he has interdicted all visits to Mount Vernon by water. It seems that Miss Silsbie and some other young ladies, daughters of members of congress, being desirous befor they go home to pay their respects at the tomb of their country's Father, had formed a party with their young friends of Washington, for the purpose and had proposed for their convenience to take one of the small steam boats— when they were stopped by the information of this interdiction.

     My worthy friend Mrs Blodget of this City has a claim against the U.S. which either has been, or probably will be soon sent from the H. of R. to the Senate. The provision made for her by the bill is small, but it will, with economy, afford her necessary comforts, and preserve her from utter ruin.

     Your favor and enclosures came safely to hand— I have seen Genl Stewart who has accepted the Dft on Aim payable in thirty days— They are both deposited with Mr English for collection.

     It is long my dearest Uncle since we had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you, and while we learnt every other day thro.

     Enclosed I send you two orders— viz.— one upon Gen. Philip Stuart for $195 and one upon Hon. G. C. Washington for $110, which I beg you to receive in part payment of the claim you have preferred against me. I hope you will wait a little longer for the balance, I will send it as soon as it is convenient, the recent afflictions in my family, and my own infirmities have so deranged my affairs that I am compelled to ask this indulgence.

     Mr Myers will oblige me by sending me 20 bushels cotton seed (green seed) to the care of A. C. Cazenove & Co, & he will please inform me the price that the amount may be remitted to him. It ought to be in Alexa. in abt March, as I presume it must be planted in April.

     The Corporation of Harvard University, having regard to your distinguished merits in general and your eminent character in the Judicial Department, did, on the last Commencement, confer upon you the Degree of Doctor of Laws.

     They wish this testimony of their estimation may prove not unacceptable.

Yesterday my February Stated Court was opened. To that day I had adjourned the Circuit Court. Copies of the draft of the Decree in Le blanc's or White's Case had been delivered to each party. I found a reluctance on the Side of one party to do anything. It seems the whole of the Seven Comy to view appraise & value the property, & report the practicability of specifically dividing it, had signed the report; but only 6 had viewed it together.

     I suggested to Mr Caldwell during his life time that a friendly suit should be brought by the representatives of Mr Blodget agt the chief Justice & myself, stating the failure of the objects for which the trust was credited, our refusal to accept the trust, & praying a transfer of the Stock to such representatives, or the substitution of other trustees. This I still think is the best, if not the only plan to be pursued. We will put in an answer immediately submitting the whole case to the Court. Believe me to be Dear Sir very sincerely & respectfully yrs

The Chief Justice informs me that you are to draw the opinion in the Case of Bell & Wilkins &c. I stated to him that a night's reflection had induced me to change my opinion as to the Kentucky decisions, being now of opinion that they go further than I at first supposed they did.

     Our Anxiety is in a great measure releived by the receipt of your kind considerate letter my dear Uncle, to Judy; I trust what was so welcome to us, did not cost you too much exertion, or solicitous as we are to hear from you we had rather forego the gratification; than you should incur additional fatigue.

     My recent indisposition, from <mutilated> I have not entirely recovered, has prevented me <mutilated> reading as attentively as I wished, and shall <mutilated> book which you were so kind as to send m<e> <mutilated> for which I beg you to accept my most sincere <mutilated> I observe however and admire the design & philos<ophy> of the work, and have no doubt of the ability <mutilated> which it is executed.

     It rejoices me to hear that you are recovering from your late serious illness.

     Allow me to state that Gerrit Smith Esqr., a Gentleman of the State of New York, has recently sent us a donation of $100 & offered to increase it to $1000 to be paid, one hundred annually, for ten years, in case one hundred other individuals will consent to subscribe cash the same amount. Our Board think it exceedingly important that something should be done to further the project of Mr. Smith, at our Annual Meeting, & have authorized me to submit the subject to the charitable consideration of several distinguished Gentlemen.

     Wrote to Mrs Eliza. T. Hove Executrix of Ja. H. Hove to enquire when we may expect payt. of Ja. H. Hoves bond dated 29 May 1822 paybl. in 5 years from date given to David & Sam. Wilson for $1325 & assigned to Major Lewis & myself.

     She lives near Mr Frobels at a place called The village.

     I hope you will not think me disrespectful, or unmindfull of your late communication in regard to the claim against me on the part of the Estate of Genl Washington— I can assure you it has been a source of considerable pain to me, as well as to the Executors— I calculated upon drafts on a certain Philip P.

your Letter of the 28th Ulto I have now before me & but for Mr Swans absence from the City would have been answered in due time.

A few days after the receipt of a Letter from you on the same subject Mr Lewis came to my house & when he paid Mrs Custis, he told me there would be a Balance coming to Mrs Peter— when I received your Letter I was not a little surprised to find I was a debtor.

It is about a week since I returned home, the session of the Phila. Court having been abridged by a severe rheumatic attack, which confined me to the house for many days prior to my departure. I have seldom, on any circuit, tried so few cases as on the last, and few of them were either new or difficult.  Such as are at all interesting, I will now proceed to state.

I recd your letter of the 2d inst. in Phila. but was prevented, by a severe indisposition, from answering it from that place, and even now, I can do no more than repeat the undiminished confidence I feel in your ability to execute the work in the best possible manner, and in your fidelity to bring it out in a way most¹ advantageous for the pecuniary interest of the parties concerned consistently with our contract —

     I wrote you a letter about 10 days past which the messenger left at the Atheneum for you. Please inform me if you recd it. Very sincerely yrs

     I enclose herewith a packet for you, which I have received from our excellent friend General La Fayette– I hope it will reach you Safe; and I remain very respectfully your friend and Servt

     The enclosed letter is from a much esteemed friend, but he could not have addressed it to any person who has it less in his power to make the enquiries he wishes. I have after some days deliberation thought of applying to you for information, well knowing your benevolence & readiness to oblige others. Should you not have it in your power to aid my enquiries, have the goodness to return me the letter with your advice as to some other application.

     Your seed barley has been received today and we shall commence sowing it tomorrow; and if the weather should be favorable can get it in the ground in five days. The Rye is all up & looks as well as could be expected. There will be forty or fifty barrels of corn to shuck tomorrow night. I fear you will not make more than one hundred and fifty barrels and therefore advised in one of my late letters that you should buy twenty or thirty barrels at $2 pr barrel to be delivered at your farm to be paid for after your return.

     I am about to ask you to aid me, in getting information of some gentleman, of approved character & qualifications, for the following purposes–