Scripto | Transcribe Page

Gentlemen,

I have your letter of this date. It gives me pleasure to receive your explanation of the ambiguous phrase in the paper No V., published with your signatures and that of Mr Venable, and your confirmation of the fact, that my explanation had been satisfactory to you.

You [undecipherable] your surprise at the contents of [undecipherable] in the Gazette of the U. States of the [undecipherable]. If you will review that paper with care, you will find that what is said about [harty spirit?] refers to the view with which the accusation was instituted by Reynolds and Clingman, not to that with which the enquiry was entered into by you. They sought by the favor of [harty spirit?], to obtain liberation from [undecipherable]. _ but though they may have rested their hopes on this ground it is not said nor in my opinion in [undecipherable], that you in making the Inquiry were ^actually by that [undecipherable] - I cannot however after my opinion, that they were influenced by the motive ascribed to them._ For though, as you observe, Clingman was not in [undecipherable] so far my memory has [undecipherable] and though it be true, that Reynolds was released before the enquiry began by virtue of an agreement with the Treasury Department (that is the Controller of the treasury) for a reason of [undecipherable] utility which has been exclaimed to you._ Yet it with be observed that Clingman