I have rcd your letter and thank you sincerely for the many kind expressions of friendship it contains. Liberated as I am I should not think it proper to interfere in a choice which ^in a <illegible> of an affair which^ devolves exclusively ^upon the Legislature^ as does that of ^the choice of^ Attorney General & I can with assure that there is no person less likely to desire such interference than Mr Butler. The question ^field^ is an ^fairly^ open one & the to all & will without be decided ^as it ought to be^ by the unbiased judgment of the Legislature upon the <requirements> and qualifications of the offices candidates. In regard to the postponement of the appointmt I am fully & positively assured that it was the spontaneous act of the members unsolicited by a Mr Butler or any of his friends in this City. Your letter gives me an opportunity which I gladly embrace to say that such being the case & in the information within your reach, it gave me sincere ^much^ pain to learn that yours had been very <illegible> free in the ascription of the act ^it^ to Albany management. I was grieved by it by the apprehension it as that ^it^ evinced a willing ness on your part to avail yourself of a <prejudice>, always when applied to ^me in us^ my friends here illiberal and unjust,) without taking the least trouble to satisfy yourself as to the fact.

It gives me sincere pleasure to be relieved from this apprehension by your letter.