I have reccd. your letter of the it. inst: & very sincerely regret the adverse occurrences which led to it. If my testimony added to that of others can be of avail towards an improvement of your situation, I very cheerfully state, that whilst my residence at Washington gave an oppty. of being acquainted with your character, & conduct, I was allways led to respect the former & to regard the latter, particularly during the more trying periods of the last war, as placing you among the formost in giving meritorious proofs of patriotism, in the varied modes in which appeals were made to it. I say thus much with pleasure, but must decline the step particularly refered to in your letter, being restrained by a rule dictated by the frequency of such requests, especially in cases where I could furnish no information not attainable from other sources. With friendly respects