Four of the Judges recd the other day an invitation from the President to dine today which we accepted— Judges Livingston & Story inform us that the President requested them to dine with him tomorrow with their associates. We are under some embarrassment in consequence of this information, & I now take the liberty of asking whether the President expects us today or tomorrow? Our brethren are probably mistaken. I am very respectfully yr mo ob. servt

The Case of the Grotius

As the time for our session approaches I become anxious to know what our situation will be. Can you inform me what provision is made for us? Where and in what kind of a room are we to sit?

     I return you, my dear Sir, my sincere thanks for your favor of the 6th Ulto, and particularly for the kind and friendly interest which you are so good as to take in the Safety of myself & family during the late invasion of this part of the Country by the Enemy. I am happy to have it in my power to say that I escaped in person and property all kind of injury and loss. The squadron lay off this place some days in its ascent and on its return, and yet I do not believe that during the whole time a single barge approached this Shore.

     Soon after my return home from Phila., I copied into my note book all the written decisions which were delivered, & which constituted about two thirds of all the cases which were tried.

I was much gratified by the Receipt of your Letter of the 8th instant. I have been uneasy lest you Should suffer by the Inroads of the Enemy, or the Depredations of undisciplined Friends. Mount Vernon should be hallowed, even by Barbarians. But all things are not as they ought to be, now a Days. I hope, however, that Vengeance is glutted by the Prostration of our Capitol. The Geese once saved the Capitol of Rome; but ours are not of the Same Breed; they would, had they so been, at least have given timely warning.

I had the pleasure a few days ago to receive your favor of the 31 July. I sincerely regretted I assure you that we were in Richmond under circumstances which forbid our meeting as frequently as we wished & should otherwise have done. The business of the Convention occupied most of my time in the day, and, being a member of the standing committee, I was under the necessity of attending at the Bishops during the evening. I write most cordially with you in the hope that we shall yet meet again, and at no place could it be half so agreable to me as at Mt Vernon.

     "I have followed the author you mention in the pizé buildings I have constructed. The foreman of my carpenters is a very intelligent man, and after frequently reading to him what appeared necessary for him to know, he made the frame & piroirs with great skill, & proceeded to build a large barn, the walls of which he completed with about 5 hands, in a day less than a month to the best of my recollection. He may sometimes have had a hand or two more than I have mentioned.

     During my late Circuit at Phila. I met with Doct. Caldwell, the present editor of the Port folio, who expressed to me an anxious wish to obtain a biographical Memoir of Chief Justice Marshall to insert in one of the members of that work. He requested me to procure such a Sketch for him, which I promised to do if in my power. I thought of you at the time, but was apprehensive that your other engagements might oppose serious Obstacles to your undertaking it.

     I have the pleasure of addressing to you this note, to serve as a memorandum of—what possibly in the multiplicity of more important engagements might for a time escape your recollection—the conversation we held and the promise your goodness induced you to make, touching biographical memoirs of Richard Henry Lee and the Honbe Chief Justice Marshall. If any thing could enhance the value of the articles themselves, it would be the pens that may prepare them, and the early period of time at which they may be recieved.

     I had the pleasure, my much loved wife to recollect yesterday your exceptional letter of the 20th and intended to answer it in the morning after my return from Court, so that it might go off by the mail of today. But I was detained by a cause under trial so late at night, that this could not be done; I did not return to my lodgings until near 11 o'clock. You complain my dearest love that I do not write often enough to you; but this is indeed without cause.

I had the pleasure of receiving your late letter yesterday. The question which you state is indeed an important & delicate one. I have never yet had reason to decide it although it has been twice within my view.

     There is a question now under the consideration of the Circuit Court, which turns altogether upon the practice and general opinion of legal men in this state, to which it is the wish of this court to conform, after clearly ascertaining what that practice is.

Your letter of the 13th reached me this morning. the question you propose had never before attracted my attention. Without examining the subject I had taken it for granted that the power of passing bankrupt laws resided in the states. It now appears to me more doubtful than I had supposed it to be.

     I have written to Mr Wilmer and also to M. Lee informing them of those causes, which have given rise to the change of measures, which I have been obliged to adopt.

I have had a Visitation of my old Enemy the Vertigo. It is periodical, & continuous every Year, thro’ February & March, less or more vindictively, accordingly as good or bad Luck attends me; No Care or Attention will repel it entirely. It has been very oppressive & destressing to me. I am getting the better of it; but it retreats sourly. I should have acknowledged the Receipt of your Favour of the last of January, sooner, but for this embarrassing State of Pericranium. I cannot now satisfy myself on the Points you say you shall differ with me in.

     A Neighbour of mine who sets out for Alexa.

     After thanking you for having waited so long for the money due upon my nephew's first bond last July, I have to inform you that if you will send it to your agent in Alexandria with an order on Mr Nob. Herbert to pay it, he will do so on Sight. Your further indulgence as to the other bond will oblige me, as I am not sure of recieving funds for its discharge before the 1st of Jany next, when the second payment for Laurel Grove, (which I have sold to Mr Morson) will become due.

     Having sold Laurel Grove & recieved in Cash one half of the purchase money, I have it in my power, & am ready at any moment to pay a moiety of the Judgment which you recovered against my nephew. I presume you would wish it paid at once to Mr Barnett, & if so I will make the remittance to him as soon as I receive your directions to do so.

I have just closed a very laborious autumnal circuit, in the course of which many highly important questions have been decided— I would send you an abstract of them, if I could command leisure just now; but my whole attention is directed to affairs connected with my departure for Washington— I shall however either bring the original opinions with me; or an abstract per your use.

The situation in which Providence hath placed me, and the blessings with which my labours in this City have been attended, would render me extremely culpable, were I to listen to any invitation, or to consent to any change except such an one, as bore the evidant traces of his own divine appointment.

I intended to have made Report, not of the Doings but of the Nullities of the Circuit Court; but I have been busy in other Matters, & added to other Concerns, I have been sick, with my old Tormentor the Vertigo. A Bleeding I have had. A Cupping in Addition, will give him his Quietus, Why dont you build, as you have long threatned, at some Place distant from Mount Vernon? which every body says, venerable as it is, is unhealthy? I hope you are now staunch & seaworthy; & the better for staying at Home, in Port.

     Permit me to introduce to you, and through you to our friends, Mr Biderman Son to a very Respectable Gentleman for whom I Have long Since Entertained much attachment and Regard— I am Happy in the Conviction that a Letter of Recommendation from me does still insure a friendly Reception at Mount Vernon.

I returned this day from a three months tour to the springs for the re-establishment of my health; and was put into possession of your letter hearing date the 15th of July last.