I thank you kindly for your letter & regret that the extreme pressure of my affairs will not allow me to write you more fully. I appreciate your hint upon the subject of the publication of your letter. It was wrong & I feared you would not like it. I s[en]t it to Mr. Croswell for his information & he for once in his life followed a bad example & stuck it into the papers to my great annoyance. [Y]our reflections upon the points touched upon in your letter are such as I should expect from sensible <liberal> & just. They have my hearty concurrence. I thank you for that portion of the gossip of the City with which you have favoured me and will be obliged by its continuance and particularly if you will remember how little I have it in my power to <give> you in return. Upon the subject of my <illegible> I can assure you that your <illegible> (strong as I know it to be) to serve that amiable family cannot be stronger than my own. If it <illegible> to do it with propriety <it will> certainly give me great pleasure. The matter stands thus. Out of about 46 <masters> only six are to be retained. Of that number there are two who altho opposed to us have so decidedly obtained the preference in the public <estimation> that their continuance will be expected with confidence. For the rema<ining> four there is a press by numbers who have been ^masters^ for years & some of them literally grown grey in their places <illegible> strong political potential as well as other claims upon my consideration <illegible> I have the names and every thing which belongs to the subject before <illegible> say what I can do of <illegible> Mr Kanes capacity & resp<ec>tability & private worth no more <illegible> said as I know <illegible> will <illegible>.

Remember me kindly to our <friends> Ruggles & Hendricks & tell them they must give it up like men & let me hear from you as often as you can conveniently. Mr Bell is I have no doubt honest although a man of bitter prejudi<c>es. He has no cause for any personal dislike to me. Make my best respects to him & tell him I hope to see the <day> when he will acknowledge <that> he does not yet understand the <real> character of Gen Jackson.