Circumstances, with which it is unecessary to trouble you, will prevent my leaving home in time to reach Phila. on the 11th. I could do so were I to travel alone, but Mrs. Washington's health will not permit¹ her to go forward as fast as would be necessary for that purpose. I hope to get to the City on the 12th so as to be ready to proceed to business the next day.

Since the rect of your favor of the 29 June, I have again examined the papers respecting the Kentucky land with a view to the fact you allude to, and find that Lees bond for a conveyance to Genl W. bears date in [17]88 long before the deed to Banks. But upon an attentive consideration of the case of Brown vs. Jackson, I am by no means satisfied that it rules this case.

I owe you an apology for my long silence & especially as I have two letters of yours unanswered. My Cirt. did not end until the latter part of June, & I have ever since been overwhelmed with pressing private or public concerns, which have obliged me to postpone all other business. In addition to my other labours I have been obliged to prepare a Discourse to be delivered this month before a Literary society (the P. B.

     Know Ye; That reposing especial trust and confidence in the Wisdom, Uprightness and Learning of Bushrod Washington of Virginia, I have nominated, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, do appoint him one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and do authorize and empower him to execute and fulfil the duties of that office according to the Constitution and Laws of the said United States, and to have and to hold the said office with all the Powers, Privileges and Emoluments to the same of Right appertaining unto him the said

     I have at length recieved a promise from Mr Morson to deposit immediately in one of the Alexandria Banks the amount of the principal & interest of the bond due by my nephew. I shall inform him tomorrow what will be the amount, and I presume that in 8 or 10 days I may calculate upon being ready to pay you.

Yesterday afternoon I recd your favour of the 16th mentioning Mr Chews wish to become a candidate for the office lately rendered vacant by the death of Mr Griffith. Within a day or two after the demise of that gentleman, I was applied to by a particular friend to whom I promised my vote, and accompanied it by letters of recommendation to my brethren. I think I cannot have recieved, since that time, fewer than 30 or 40 similar applications from others.

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.

Your Letter of the 30th of May reached me this morning— I believe the general impression of the Judges has been, that all acts reqd to be done by the Court, are to be done in term— I have hitherto acted upon that construction of the Laws, though I confess myself not perfectly satisfied with it— I should distinguish between acts strictly judicial, & those which are ministerial.

The foregoing are the principal cases decided in my last Circuit, which are susceptible of an abridged statement, that will make the case intelligible. Many more cases were before the Court but the questions of law decided were not new in principle, and so involved with the facts, that I must pass them over.

     Before the rect of your favor of the 7th I had written you fully on the business to which it relates. Since then, I have had another opportunity of writing to my agent on the Kenhawa, & I have again repeated my request that he will not fail to pay all the arrears of taxes due upon your lands & to draw upon me for the amount which it will be in my power to remit him before it will be necessary for him to make the advance.