As there will not be time after the death of the Collector of this Port which is daily expected, for me to represent as fully as may be necessary my pretensions to succeed to that Office; I must solicit your indulgence to my communications on this subject, hoping they will not interfere with your attention to the great national concerns.—

After a long career of unremitted exertions to serve my Country in the various high & important public Offices I have filled since the year 1784 during which time my impartiality, competency & diligence were never impeached, I am finally at the age of fifty years with four young Children placed in a destitute situation. When I take a retrospect of the arduous scenes I have gone through from my incorruptible & inflexible integrity and my undeviating support of the principles of representative Government amidst many privations & constant persecution from the aristocracy & when I look forward to the national Government and see the great Patron of those principles at its head, I feel a confidence that a man who has done & suffered so much as I have will meet with suitable countenance, & that he will not be suffered to fall into oblivion—Mr. Duane assured me he has done every thing in his power to give the President a true view of my services and present situation & at his request I wrote a Letter by him on his way to Richmond to the Trial of Burr to the President & as he has no doubt given the President an ample detail of my case I will not trespass on the valuable time of the President in going into further particulars—

I have the honor to be with the greatest veneration your most obedt. servt.