Your letter of the sixteenth of this month has been delivered to me. I place full confidence in the industry and zeal of your recruiting officers, and have no doubt they that they will finally surmount all the obstacles which may be opposed to their progress. If your conjecture with respect to the present strength of the regiment be well founded I do not think there is ground to complain of the want of success in the recruiting service. The approaching season as you observe will be more favorable—and will put enable you, I trust, to frustrate the plans, and to mortify the expectations of the enemies of government.

I have written to the proper authorities on the subject of money and Clothing; and have been given to understand that a quantity has been forwarded sufficient with what you have already received to make up the compliment of three fourths of the regiments. I trust therefore your wants will soon be relieved.

You are It gives me pleasure to find th⟨at⟩ some hesitation has been excited in the mind ⟨of⟩ Judge Neilson, and I trust all the magistra⟨tes⟩ will perceive the impropriety of interfering in ⟨a⟩ business so intimately connected with the inte⟨rest⟩ and prosperity of the United States. It would be premature in me to give ⟨an opi⟩nion at present on the subject of an app⟨eal⟩ to the Foederal Court from the decision of ⟨—⟩ Supreme Court of Virginia; as the whole ⟨mat⟩ter is in a regular course of legal investigati⟨on.⟩

I have no doubt however that the thing can be brought in one way or another before the Foederal Court; and if circumstance should render it necessary measures must and will be taken for the purpose.

With great consider—I am, Sir &c