As the year is drawing to a close, and the season arrived at which it is necessary to engage labourers for the ensuing year, I take the liberty of stating that I shall be glad to continue to hire for the next year the four negroes of your property & five belonging to miss Sarah Dangerfield, now in my service, and on the terms heretofore agreed on and explained in my letter of Sep. 5. 1806. to mr Lewis Willis Dangerfield. I shall repeat my assurances that they shall be provided & treated with all the humanity which I can secure in my absence, and of which I am the more confident as the manager under whom they are is of a very mild & indulgent character. I will ask the favor of an answer as soon as possible that I may know whether it is necessary to look out elsewhere. I pray you to accept assurances of my great respect