New York June 25^th 1797 Dear Sir On Saturday last I recived your litter of 15^th &^c Inst and delivered the one inclosed to Doctr Benson he tells me his lame leg will not possibly permit him to attend the trial in Philadelphia and that he will write to you himself and inform you particularly of his situation — I waited till this day to write to you by M^r E Williams but he fails of going on, I therefore send this by post — I am D^r Sir Jos Howell Es^q E Swan Richmond June 27^th 1797 Dear Sir I am uncertain whether it will be best for M^r Swan to come on now as he has been so long delayed. I will think of it and write to the Treasury again if I find him necessary. I have written to M^r Digest and afforded him the best but may come on — I am sorry that you failed in your application but hope that you will find yourself employed in some other way as advantageously, their Office being not so permanent as some which may fall vacant. Madame with this expectation — I am D^r Sir [undecipherable] Biddle M^r Howell