[Copy] [Cover sheet: Copy of Letter from Silas Talbot To the president of the United States] A Copy of a letter to the President from Silas Talbot [undecipherable: probable reading "Johnstown"] January 21^st 1790 To His Excellency the president of the United States Sir My motives [undecipherable] for presuming to address at this time is to solicit your particular favor & notice so far as to take into consideration the propriety of my being again employed in some public service in case any should offer in which I might be thought adequate to the performance of— I have been Informed Sir by a member of Congress that new arrangements will probably take place in some or all of the principal Harbours in the United States and that in order to carry such laws or regulations as may be made for that purpose into effect there will likely be a Harbour master appointed to each port & also it is deemed necessary to make new appointments & commissions to which I have before devoted for the benefit of [undecipherable]. I have the [undecipherable] to solicit [undecipherable] I present I know [undecipherable] with the interest [undecipherable] And if my address might be viewed in so favorable a light I solicit the favor of your Excellency to nominate me to that Office. Should this request be granted I pledge myself to do my best endeavours to justify the appointment by paying all suitable attention to the duties that shall be required of me in that Station I would fain hope that my former services might in some small degree recommend me at this time; & and in order that they may more readily occur to your mind, take the liberty to enclose several copies of original letters now in my possession; besides these if it were necessary, I could have forwarded, copies of three letters from Major Gen^l Sullivan wrote to Congress while I was under his immediate command in those letters he is pleased to mention me to that Honorable Body in terms of high approbation of my conduct as an Officer. I could likewise forward three other copies of letters from Major Gen^l Gates to Congress in 1779 in those letters the General was also pleased to hold me up to them in a light very much to (And was it not for taking up too much of your time. I could furnish copies of the letters from other General Officers of like ranks, & particularly one from the Governor and Council of the State of Rhode Island in the beginning of the year 1780 to Congress, flattering my services to them, in a manner very flattering to me The enclosed Certificates I trust will be satisfactory in regard to my public character, as to that of my private [undecipherable] by time to refer your Excellency to Major Gen^l Knox, as he I trust will be able to give you satisfactory information on that head. I am &c