I have recieved your Letter of the 6 Inst.1 My Letter to Judge Benson of the 19th in answer to his of the 2d May,2 states the substance of the Conversation between him and me, which he considered as authority for the Paragraph in the Herald of the 29 April last. If you have seen that Letter, you are apprized of all that is necessary for me to remark on that Head.

In his Reply of the 19 May, to that Letter he says “I never meant to repeat from you a sentiment so unfit, as that whatever might be the Pretensions or worth or competency of the Individual, still his being nominated by the party known as the Clintonian, would in itself be decisive with you to forbear voting for him.”

This being satisfactory to me, I was content that the paragraph should be corrected in his own words, and certainly if it expresses or implies Ideas, or is capable of being understood in a sense, which he did not mean, it requires correction.

The manner in which you think it may be properly corrected (by limiting the Expressions to the late Election) would be precisely right, if the Federalists as a Party had explicitly Resolved to support Mr. Lewis; for I have said and do now say that, in such a Case (the Expediency and not the Rectitude of the Measure being the only matter of doubt) no Federalist could consistently (with party good faith) vote for Mr. Tomkins.

It was to be presumed and expected that the federal party would mark the Line of conduct proper to be observed by its members relative to the Election. From Judge Benson and other Sources of Information, I understood that many federal Leaders were disposed to support Mr Lewis; and to be it appeared probable, that such would eventually be the decided and declared Resolution of the Party, unless they should nominate a federal Candidate. The Business however took another Course, and other Plans and Counsels prevailed. Instead of bringing forward the Party to adopt and become bound by any general acts or Resolutions, it was deemed adviseable to place the Party with their Ensigns and Uniforms, on a Sort of neutral back ground, during the Contest; but so to manage matters with the Individual Members, as that they should slip away to the Elections in the guise and capacity of free Citizens, and vote for Mr. Lewis.

Under these Circumstances I concieved myself at Liberty to be guided by my own Judgmt. I did not vote for either of the Candidates. Other Federalists also thought themselves at Liberty to act as they thought proper, and hence our Conduct relative to the Election has not been uniform.

I certainly did say to Judge Benson, when he was here on his Return from Albany, that no Federalist could in my opinion consistently vote for Mr. Tomkins, but this was said on, and in connection with the ground and presumption, that the federal Party came forward to support Mr. Lewis against Mr. Tomkins. This opinion therefore, being predicated on an active, and not on a passive state of the Party, can have no Reference or just application to the latter. The Distinction and Difference between these two opposite States are obvious; and it is not more difficult to reconcile their contrarities, than to render all the Rules and Maxims which apply to the one, equally suitable to the other. With the best wishes for the Health and Prosperity of yourself and Family, I am, Sir, Your Obedient Servant,