It not having been the will of the President to appoint me Collector of this port, may I presume upon his friendly patronage in the instance of the vacancy in the Office of Post-Master General or any other which promotion in subordinate Post Masters may occasion—

I have dedicated all my time and talents to the public service & long habit has unfitted me for private business. I studied law with the Attorney General Wm. Bradford, Esqr. deceased, but never practised, so that public Offices have become my avocation, and I am now in the decline of life, with four Children to support & educate, without having had it in my power to make a pecuniary provision for them, owing to the number of poor relatives thrown on my benevolence for support, & my public spirit, which induced me to expend largely at every important Election in the printing and diffusion of political Pamphlets, Hand Bills &ca.—I imbibed from my Father an ardent attachment to the republican Cause and I now feel I have too far sacrificed individual interests & comforts to the public good—I have about 3500 acres of back lands which are yet unproductive & unsaleable and in this consists all my property—

I will not intrude any further on the valuable time of the President, but submit my pretensions to his pre-eminent wisdom & patriotism—

I have the honor to be With high consideration the Presidents most obedt. servant