I have reflected on the Topics on which we conversed, and agreable to my Promise, now acquaint you with the Result—1

Permit me to premise, that in my opinion the newly instituted ^office^ of Provost of Columbia College, which has lately become vacant, should be discontinued; & consequently that there is no Person whom I wish to see appointed to fill it. To me it appears adviseable that the President of the College should be so in fact, as well as in name; and be allowed a correspondent & ample Salary.

Since the Dissolution of your Connection with Trinity Church, it is natural that your Friends should be desir^e^eus to see you placed in a Situation that would be useful and agreable to the Public and to You. Whether (in Case an additional Professor should be deemed necessary by the Trustees) it would be prudent for your Friends to urge your appointment to that Place, is a Question which ^certainly^ deserves Consideration—

The animated Controversey which terminated your Connection with Trinity church was managed with warmth [illegible], and produced adverse Feelings which [illegible] ^however mitigated^, have not as yet entirely ceased— admitting that your Competency for the Place should not be questioned by either Party; yet it is far from being certain that those adverse Feelings, uniting with individual Predilections for some other Candidate, will not prompt and stimulate ^strenuous and successful^ Opposition— Perhaps those Feelings may yield and give way to generous Sympathies— perhaps not. On this Point I have not the Information necessary to form a satisfactory opinion.

If there should be good Reason to believe that a [illegible] Disposition to Conciliation would prevail and ensure your appointmt, the Measure would then be expedient and desireable— But, on the contrary, if ^instead of such fair ^^a^^ prospect^ there should be good Reason to believe that your nomination would revive ^probably^ ^revive^ Hostility, and rekindle and prolong and disseminate[?] ^extend^ animosities, I cannot ^do not^ think it would be prudent ^to risque it^— Whatever may be the actual State of Things relative to these Matters, the best Wishes for your Prosperity are entertained by Revd. Sir your Faithful & obt. Servt