On my arrival here I found Mrs Van Ness ill with a sore throat & fever. She continues still so unwell, that I fear it will not be in my power to leave town so early as tuesday, which was my intention when I left you. If Mrs V N should be well enough to justify my absence, I shall leave town some day sufficiently early, to be at Albany at the meeting of the Legislature.

The measure which I suggested to you as having been mentioned to me by Mr Riker, with a request, that it might be communicated to you & the Pl. I have no doubt is definitively resolved on here. The event which we have long wished ^for^ is approaching, and the measure just alluded to will be the commencement of a system. Prepare I pray you, for active business Be assured that we shall be called on, to take ground to say what is the true republican Party–to distinguish it from a spurious congregation of illegitimate particles. I am prepared for the contest.

I conversed with our friend Wool as you suggested. He has written me a letter, which has just arrived. Russell said to him, that he would join most heartily if Genl Thomas was not a Candidate. Pray see to this. The intention and the object which the measure is intended to accomplish, would not be answered in this way.

Elisha Jenkins has been in town. He boasted if his efforts to bring about a compromise at Hudson, which had been successfull. He spoke very harshly of the insult which had been offered to Capn. Macy by the Phoenix Company. He said Macy would send back the Proxy, what course the other man would take, he did not know. Men he said, not Mr Hogeboom, or Pl–and he said it in a way, that attracted the notice of those who were present. Mr Kisson mentioned, these circumstances to me this day. I have told him & our other friends, what we thought of E. Jenkins & in what manner we believed him to have interfered in our Bank affairs. Pray investigate this subject & let us have evidence enough to convict him.