I will not add to my offence by troubling you with a long apology for this intrusion on your Valuable time— Suffice it to Say,—that encoraged by the Condesending manner in which you listen’d to my small affairs (interesting however to me in the extreem) I am embolden’d to beg your interest with the General in my behalf, so far as you can do it consistant with your princeples of Propriety—1 a word perhaps from you, thrown in apparently by accident may have great effect.— I had an intervieu with the Secretary at War, after I had the honor of seeing you— after considerable conversation on the Subject, in which he Seem’d doubtful and hesitating—about making an exchange with the person now at Springfield— as I was taking leave he Said—“you would wish an appointment”?— Certainly Sir— “and you prefer Springfield to any other Place[?”]

On my answering in the affirmative—he Said—“you had best write and I will answer you immediately.”—

In compliance with this enjunction, I have wrote by the Same Post which convays this.— and Confess I see not how he can get 278 over the matter without complying with my request; esspecially when he Sees the extracts which I have taken from letters wrote as far back as the years—: 87 &—89—wherin he Says

“Persuaded as I am of your industry Skill and integrity, I Shall be extreamly glad to make a permanent arangement to continue you in the publick Service”.— again he Says—

The new Government will require time before it can obtain so much Vigor as to make the necessary arangements of its arsinals in order to find constant employment for you, whenever this event Shall happen, I Shall, as far as I may be concerned, be glad to give you employment, being confident of your ability and faithfulness to Serve the Publick Permit me Sir to breathe a most fervent wish for the happiness of you and yours—and to Subscribe my Self / your greatly obligd / and most Humble Servt

I have to acknowledg the receipt of Several Letters from you, together with Demourier Memoirs; for which accept my thanks;1 I wish to hear from you, & to learn something of the Buisy world as often as your Time will permit, but in return I have only to relate to you the Small occurrencies which my Family and Farm afford. Not a son to visit me now, and enliven by his presence once a week or fortnight, a long Winter Evening, and to detail to me what is passing in the more active scenes of Life. Mary is gone home,2 & Julias sportive gambols are the enliveners of some solitary moments when unoccupied with the cares of my Family; and feeling anxious to hear from my Children, I have just finishd a Letter to each of them to go by captain Scott.3 I hope you will write to them as I see several vessels up to go from Philadelphia;.

The buisness of the week past, has been plowing carting sea weed and stones. two of my Hands will leave me in the course of the present week as their time expires— they have been very usefull in going with the scow for sea weed. the weather now grows too Boisterous 279 to make further use of it, this season. I am in hopes if the season permitts to compleat filling the yards from the shore, but I have made no provision for my fireside yet, but from day to day, I have been so desirious to improve all the open weather for the other buisness.—

Mr Pratt has informd mr Cranch that he means to sell his pew.4 he bid it of at 42 pounds. he laid out in finishing it between 4 & 5 pounds he would sell it for 46— mr Cranch desired me to let you know it. he will not part with it till he hears from you

Dr Tufts desires me to get mr Brisler to inquire the price of clover seed.

The President Speach I hear is come I have not seen it. the weather was bad yesterday, and my Neighbours did not get their paper

adieu most / affectionatly Yours—