Your fav. of the 22d inst is this moment recd & I hasten to say in reply that from it I derive the first information of the intended meeting of the Visitors on the 4th march & that the state of the roads will render it wholly out of my power to attend. Indeed the condition of the roads is such that I doubt whether the mail will reach Charlottesville before that day, notwithstanding it will leave this place in a few minutes.

Mr Wm C. Preston is living in Columbia S.C. practicing the law with considerable success; Is certainly a young man of fine talents & handsome acquirements & no doubt in a few years will be eminently qualified to fill the station you mention, but I fear that he is too young & too little known. Besides I do not believe that he would accept of the appointment. I think he has views of a different cast.