I have at Length, my dear Sir the pleasure of informing you (tho’ not officially) that you have Leave to return, and that Mr. Short is appointed to take charge of the public affairs during your absence—

From the Time that your Letter of the 19th. Novr. last was recd.1 ^vizt. 10 Feby^ to the Time that our former Govt. gave place to the present one,2 there [illegible] was not a single Day on which so many States were represented in the late Congress as were necessary to [illegible] ^make a House^

Directly after the Presidt. came into office3 I communicated your letter to him your Request, [first on Ex?] It was the general Opinion that the appointments under the late Government expired at that Period, and therefore that the Heads of the different Departments were not in Capacity to proceeded without a new Conveyance of authority— It was expected that the different Offices would would ^without^ delay be established and the Business of them put in Train— These Circumstances seemed to inclined the President to think it best retarded a Decision on your Request—

Altho the Departments still remain in the same State Yet the president on the 16 Instant informed the Senate that he ^had^ complied with your Request, and ^that he^ nominated Mr Short— On the 17 I attended the Senate [by their ord?] on the subject— and Yesterday they came to a Resolution in the following Words, vizt. (here insert it)4

For some Days past the presidt. has been indisposed with a Head Ache attended with Fever— This Morning I went to his House to communicate the Resolution to him, and recieve his orders on the Subject— If ^He is better but^ His Physicians thought be it best that for the present no applications shd. be made to him on Business ^public Affairs^ of any kind; and consequently that ^the Business^ in Question must be postponed

Untill the office for foreign Affairs is established the Papers and Dispatches proper on the Occasion cannot be prepared and ^compleated &^ transmitted.— When I consider how long you have waited for the Result of your application, and the Sensations which continued ^repeated^ Disappointments must have occasioned, I cannot forbear thus informally to acquaint you with the preceeding [illegible] Facts and to mention to you as my opinion that you may venture to return, and that the earliest opportunity shall ^will^ be taken of transmitting to Mr Short the necessary Papers— I mean to send you Copies of this Letter by various Routes and sincerely wish that it may arrive seasonably and that I may have the pleasure of congratulating you on your [illegible] arrival here early in the autumn— With the best wishes and with very sincere Esteem & Regard I am Dr Sr. your most obt. & hble Servt