The evidence, on which the charge of unfairness &ca. was grounded, you have enclosed in Colo. Symm's own hand writing, (the amount of the other bonds in his possession appeared to me to be very trifling). The propriety, or impropriety of this charge, after this transcript and information is given, you are to judge; and whether Combs's bond is not among those assigned to Mr. Colston. Hickmans, a considerable debt, must also have been under this predicament, or Colston's application to me for a Deed was very improper.

    I would fain hope that there is not a greater impropriety in my receiving interest on a bonded debt, which lay years without having any part of the principal or interest paid, than is to be found in others; especially when the very fund you assured me should be applied to the payment thereof, you are recovering with interest. But I will have done with this subject, and never more shall give you the trouble of hearing any further observations of mine thereon. What rough expression of mine to you at Richmond has been industriously reported, is for me yet to learn. Your letter conveys the first most distant hint I have ever heard of the matter; I certainly ought therefore to stand acquitted of having any agency in the circulation of it, if I was so ungenteel as to have offered any.

    I profess an entire ignorance of the real difference between military Certificates and specie; for never having had inclination or intention to deal in them, and rarely going from home, I have not been in the way of obtaining information on this subject. Nevertheless, I will take two thousand pounds of Virginia military Certificates at the price you offer, viz: four for one, so as to discharge five hundred pounds of my claim, and I will take 400 or more barrels of Indian Corn, provided a price is now fixed that I can obtain it at. and for your information I add that any quantity, I am told, may be had at 10/ Maryland Curry. per barrel. Colo. Hooe thinks less. If this price accords with your ideas, in order to ascertain the point decidedly, I will give it; but assure you at the same time that your disposing of it to any other and paying the amot. in money to me, would be quite as agreeable to me. Your accomodation was all I had in view, my own crop is, I presume, adequate to my consumption. With respect to the negroes, I conclude it is not in my power to answer your wishes, because it is as much against my inclination as it can be against your's, to hurt the feelings of those unhappy people by a separation of man and wife, or of families; because no others than such as I enumerated in my last will answer my purposes, and because the price exceeds what I supposed negroes would sell for in ready money; for, in this as with Certificates, having had no intention to buy, I have made no enquiry into the price they sold at; but conceived that for ready money the best labouring negroes (which are the kind I wanted) might have been had for £60, £70, or at most £75. Upon the whole then, for the balance, I must take payment in the manner formerly mentioned by you at this place, unless you should think that young Bob, (who has only a father without a wife) Tom the baker, Nessey and David, and James and Valentine (if of sufficient size to go to trades) could be separated without much uneasiness, and the prices of them, if not really the ready money prices, cou'd be abated.

    Your reply to this letter soon would be satisfactory, for I have just hired a compleat Ditcher with a view of putting several hands under him, and wish to know my prospects for it. I am, etc.

    P. S. I rece'd, enclosed in your letter, 2 half Joes, and 7 guineas, £ in part payment, I presume, of the 15 guineas lent you. ⁸⁹

[Note:From the "Letter Book" copy in the Washington Papers. ]