I feel in a very bad humour or I would give you the reasons at lenght why the application I now make to you is unpleasant, but will in one Word say that the middle district has never been ^truly^ represented at Washington & untill I am satisfyed that the Secretaries & President have changed their disposition on the point of listening exclusively to the recommendations of John P. Van Ness as to the appointmts to be made in our quarter I will see them damned before I will be a petitioner at their respective Bars.

Now one Word to the point. Jacob Van Ness of Redhook has sold his establishment there & moves to Rhinebeck where he wants to be postmaster. Jaques the postmaster there is a federalist he ought to be & is about being removed a recommendation has gone on for a young Livingston. Van Ness is a troublesome friend fond of little offices & I wish the Devil had ^had^ him before I had got him on to my hands. But so is the Case, he is has great political merit, has done me some Service & I would wish to reward him. & If Now if you can without "emptying your purse & or breaking your leg" get him the office I wish you would do it. If my particular friend Genl. Cass has not left Washington & you will speak to him I know it would give him [gre]at pleasure to speak to Mr Meigs on the subject.