I have been favoured with your Excellency’s Letter of the 17th instant.

I am greatly obliged to your Excellency for offering to write to General Haldeman respecting the release of Mr Roading tho’ you have no correspondence with him; or to forward a Letter from me to him on that subject. The first I can’t prevail upon myself to desire, considering that General Haldeman has not thought proper to answer the only Letter which your Excellency has ever written to him; & the latter has so little prospect of success that I think not worth attempting.

Our Legislature rose last thursday without making the least provision for compleating our Battalion, & without even passing the tax bill, which was negatived by the Council for want of public faith in not sinking the proportion of the State bills annually to be sunk Especially to the Act by which they are omitted. With the greatest esteem I have the honour to be Your Excellencys most humble & most obedient Servt