Your favor of the 5th Inst. has just come to hand.

Exclusive of the objection I have, to the establishment of a precedent, for granting Passports to Citizens, without the interference of the Civil Authority of the States to which they belong, I think, the circumstance of my deviating from a fixed Rule, might in the present instance, be an occasion of suspicion to the Enemy & frustrate the ends you have in view—I cannot therefore consider it adviseable or consistent with the line of conduct I have adopted, to grant the Passport in question, but I have written to Governor Livingston on the subject, and doubt not, if there are no particular reasons of policy operating against it, that the business will now be put in an easy & proper train of execution. I am Dear Sir &c.