MVB to John Peter Van Ness, 1 April 1803
MVB to J[ohn] P[eter] V[an] Ness, 1 April 1803
Newyork
April 1st. 1803.
Dr. Friend,
Yours of the 25th ultimo, I Received on the 30th. & in pursuance of your Request I immediately called on Mr. Cooper & offered my Services to him in the Business, he gave me your Letter & desired me to endeavor to find Captn. Hague the Gentleman therein mentioned, I spent the whole of that day in endeavoring to discover him, but to no purpose I went to the Custom house, Coffe house &c. but could hear nothing of him, I then returned to Mr. Cooper & we concluded to send the Commission on without his Examination &c. Upon this I left him under the Impression that your wishes would be complied by the Commission &c. being sent on Immediately but in a few moment Recd. a note from Mr. C. desiring me to call upon him, when he told me that Mr. I. Sands of Brooklin had subscribed his name to an other mans Deposition & not his own, he wrote a line to him & I immideately procured a man to Carry it to him at Brooklyn, he also told me that two other witness living about 17 miles out, had made some mistake, & went to them this morning before Breakfast & they promised to call in the Course of to Day to finish the Business, which as soon as Mr. Sands can be got to Correct his Error will Complete it, & the whole of the papers will be sent, I Believe Pr. Mail. In the mean time I shall do my utmost endeavors to find Hague.
A warm Election is coming on in Kinderhook for Supervisor Between John V. Alen & Gardenier I understand both parties are Confident of Success. I will If agreeable let you know the Event, I hear from Kinderhook that my brother James has a partner in his Business one Storm from Poughkeesie, also that a Nephew of Captn. Deming <he's> <hired> the House of Henry C. Van Schaack deceased & also the Store of Mrs. Pomerocy where he intends carrying on the Mercantile Business. As to my Board not hearing from you & imperious Circumstances compelling me to leave my former place I made the most diligent Search & was so fortunate as to get into a respectable house, in Courtliand Street at the same price I formerly boarded (washing excepted) If you had been placed in my Situation I have no doubt but you would have acted as I did on the 1st. day of may my Bills fall due, the $160 my brother sent gave me (of which I had the misfortune to loose ($20) are expended I can my good friend say nothing more upon this Subject it is of too Delicate a nature my former Letters will explain by all means let me not put you to any Inconvenience, I would rather submit to any thing. When will you come to this place, I shall be happy to hear from you when at leisure,
In great haste your Friend
Martin Van Buren