Altho you are advanced in life—yet your Vision is clear—& Judgment sound—therefore justice must be felt—& patriotism yet uppermost in your Consideration,—an old personal friend—has made up his mind—to say a few words—on the Subject of our next president—Altho’ Strange as it may appear—the present one has just entered on the last term—but such is the State of man—such his activity in the pursuits of [. . .]—that already Combinations & preliminary operations are on foot to give this man & that man—an impetus—a push forward in the publick View—So that in some degree—to have forestalled publick opinion & taking thereby undue advantages—it is for this Reason—as it cannot be avoided—I obtrude myself on your attention, without a name—If what is Said, is not sound, a name would be of no service—to the observations—altho the time was, when it would have not Sounded unpleasantly in your ears—Mrs Crawford, Calhoun, Adams Clinton & Clay—are prominent men—& doubtless—the most So—& to whom the nation look to—to select the next Prest—your influence—among the Gent—who have been Prests—alone Seems to have been preserved—to a great extent over the whole nation—the residue—Messs Adams, Madison & Munro—seem to have little—Mr Munro—undoubtedly as he is president—has a degree of it—So far as present patronage extends—I will begin by remarking—that some Symptoms—have been indicated—that Mr Munro—Mr Calhoun & their personal friends—with those of Madisons are Cautiously working in favor of Jno Q Adams—as the next Chief—while others—are pushing Crawford—and those mainly are the present rulers of Virginia—Is this right—does it Comport—with justice—with Safety to this nation—& with the Example—& lasting Solidity & equalized Justice—which you would desire to have in some degree realized from your influence—and as Conducive & Conformative to the high Character which you may desire—that your fame Should go down to posterity—taking it for granted that the next Prest will be the friend of Jefferson & one who would sustain the reputation & preserve the order & Safety of the Republick—would that be promoted by the Election of Mr Adams—I Say not—Virginia had her 4 out 5 Presidents of course its not expected She will Still have further pretentions at present—Massachusetts—had a Prest of Congress in Hancock—She has been honored in Jno Adams during his whole life time—& finally by being1 Prest—besides others of her Citizens Knox2—Gerry—Eustis—Dearborn & many others—& young Jno Adams his lifetime who at one period did all, man could do, to oppose Jefferson & his Supporters—is this right, for a man who never labored for Republicanism, which only put Jefferson in power—Should now after having reaped—Money & honor—since his boyish mission to Prussia—be pushed into the Presl Chair by Jefferson or his friends—I say—Massachusetts has for the present—had attention enough paid to her—I do say—that Mr Adams has had honor & countenance—more than others—who merrited more than he, those Considerations—how would it appear to posterity—that Virginia Should to an irrational & unjust extent—retain by Clanship the power to herself of this nation—then to join her influence to a State already full of favor—having had the like honor and advantage—I say it would go far to take away the charm of our Republican Success in Govt—& in a measure tarnish the remembrance of the illustrious Virtues of a Jefferson—whose Consequence—will be effected—by the results of his memorable Career—It reminds me so much of the Clanships—the triumvirs of Greece & Rome—that it almost sickens me with the high notions of Republican fairness—& reminds me of the old proverb that the Horse that earns the oates—Seldom eat them—would you then Support mr Crawford—no I say—he is a native of Virginia—is from the south—has derived all his influence from her disposition & no merrit—or Exertion of his own—possess no extray Gifts from nature—art—& his appointment would [sire?] Such an unextinguishable hatred in this nation—to have at this period—a Slave holding president—as to come nigh—Severing this Empire—& wd be forever attributed to Virginia or Jeffersonian3 egotistical republicanism produced by negro unfair representation & the sole effects of patronage—& ill gotten power—Mr Clay—tho very respectable—has nearly all the same objections agst him at present—& besides has not pretentions equal to it—Mr Calhoun also is too recently on the Stage—and is from a Slave state—& there is time enough for him—we come next to him—on Mr Clinton—This State has never had the honor—of a president—her Vice presidents have been merely pacifying machines—Geo Clintons Services during our Revolution—entitled him to very high honor—you outstripped him—tho his influence then powerful gave you the Presidency—aided by his nephew & Supported it—till you retired in Glory—you gave yr influence to Madison—& so it has Contd—you forgave Munro—& cannot you forgive DeWit Clinton—for merely being a Candidate when your friend Madison—was a Candidate the Second time—who always supported you & is warmly your admirer at this moment—I think you Can—you observed that George Clinton estranged himself from you—if he did—that is a reason why you Should4 from DWitt Clinton—indeed—I honestly think—it would be the brightest link to the chain of your Constellations—for you to make an effort—& do an act to the nephew—to do away—something of a neglect of a great man—whose name & fame as a Revolutionary5 worthy was Certainly greater than any then before the publick excepting Yourself—& which has always injured the present Gov. Clinton eversince—it has Created in Co:operation—with the policy of Madison & Munro a prejudice unwarranted—to a great extent—agst a man who was powerful in getting you elected & fighting your battles till you triumphantly Conquered—he who now reckons you a benefactor—you Could reconcile to the great Republican [. . .] & Shed a never fading lustre on your fame for honor, & disinterestedness—The Consequences to the nation—in Consolidating the safety of the Constitution—would probably be incalculable—to have a man as it were anew—from a new Section—from a State famous for Revolutionary Struggles—& for great men—populous6—enterprizing—& neglected—all that is done—is to raise a little man like Tompkins—or smith Thompson—and other little men—in order to destroy the influence of a very powerful & most Capable man—a man pure in morals has Wife & Children—Domestic—industrious—filled with Knowledge—a man that really loves to do good things—think on these things—& see whether—it is not Compatable with your Glory & honor—prudently to act—& to have done with Mr Clinton—those things which you could do—with Mr munro when it Suited your Views—is it needful for yr fame—for Madison or Munro that a political Dwarf—a Coldhearted excentric man like Jno Q Adams Should be elevated above such a man as DW Clinton—to Shut out of the [. . .] of the nation New York—or Mr Clinton—or is there a league between Virginia & massachusetts?—The talents & experience of Clinton wd reconcile the south with the North & East—but the Support of Adams or Crawford—would Shake the foundations of the edefice—let liberality & honor & a remembrance of former days have some place in yr bosom—an old friend hopes & believes—from the high Character of the Venerable Jefferson—that he will once more—in his own way—do one more great act—& prevent the perpetuation of a narrow misguided policy—Contrary to the best feelings of all your old best friends—