I did not receive your two letters of the 8th & 9th. till last evening after the Mail for Charlottesville had passed, and could not therefore sooner acknowledge them. The letters ought to have come to hand the day before yesterday, and might then, have been answered by the mail of yesterday. How the failure happened I know not. That no time might be unnecessarily lost I sent the day before yesterday a special messenger to the post office, and was answered that nothing had arrived for me. Yet the letters must have been there, or have proceeded to Fredericksburg, and been sent back, which would be but barely possible, and of which there is no indication.

I am sorry for the trouble thrown on you of curing the flaw in the Report. The expedient applied answers sufficiently well. I have pencilled a small change which if approved may be made. The Caption might be thought to cover not more of the Report than what relates to the case of the “Examination &c.” The change makes the Examination govern the time of a meeting having in view other objects in the Report. I repeat however that the change is not essential. If any be proper, and a better modification occur, make it without scruple.

Some regret may be occasioned at Richmond by the delay in making the Report; but the weather must have suggested the cause. What is most to be regretted is the prolonged absence of the letter of Mr. J. Randolph, on the subject of the Bust &c. which might have produced some interposition of the Legislature before the day of the general sale, which I find by an advertisement in the last Central Gazette, is to include those articles. I had seen it stated by Mr. Ritchie some time before, “from authority” that they were to be sent for sale elsewhere. I hope there is some understanding in the case that will save the Bust at least from profanation, and leave to the Assembly an opportunity of doing in this as well as in other respects what becomes them.1

Your remarks on Hotel keepers, are held of course to be confidential. Having heard nothing yet from Genl. Cocke, I know nothing of his views in relation to any of them, in or out of place. The actual posture of things, and the reassembling of the Students so near at hand, present difficulties of different sorts, if the last arrangements are to be revised.

I am happy to find that the invader of your health was so quickly put to flight by the remedial prescription of the Doctor. I hope his preventive one will be duly attended to, and be found equally efficacious.

Mrs. M. & myself rejoice in the continuance of favorable accounts from Boston, and look with pleasure to the visit of which you have renewed the pledge. With affectionate respects

I have signed the report, leaving a blank for the day of the Month, and put it under a Cover large enough for the printed Code as well as the other documents to go with it.

It may be proper to put in 2 Copies of the Enactments as there are 2 House[s], and if convenient a 3. for the Governor.