I enclose you a Petition in a case in which I must solicit the incursion of your clemency. The act of congress, giving authority to the Secretary of the Treasury in certain cases to mitigate or remit fines & forfeitures does not extend I consider to this case. The act applies I conceive only, where there was no intention to elude the payment of duties, which would not with truth & justice be stated in this instance. The sole grounds relied on, are that they are all poor & have uniformly supported fair characters until this transaction happened. As this is the first offence & except in this instance, they have been honest, as you will observe by the recommendation annexed to their petition, & they are industrious fellows, I hope they will be pardoned. The Collector has promised to write in their behalf to the Comptroller. I transmit the enclosed to you at Monticello, because the Court will sit in the course of a few weeks & they have been allowed until then, to procure a remission. Indeed, could I spare the time, such is my anxiety about public affairs tho’ in a great measure retired from the political world, that I should have been extremely glad to have visited you at your house. Should you see Mr. Randolph or Mr. Eppes please to remember me to them. With great esteem I am Dr Sir

Yours Very Sincerely