[undecipherable] New York March 2^d 1800 D^r Sir The sudden and unexpected departure of your express prevented us from writing you on the subject of his mission — [undecipherable] but express our warm disapprobation at the conduct of Major Gibbs so far as we are acquainted with the circumstances, and for that reason should be very averse from taking on ourselves the payment of his debts and thus rewarding an act which we are not ashamed to condemn — for this we consider as the inevitable consequence of [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] notwithstanding the opinion of M^r Edwards is the contrary but we have another objection as to respects your future situation — in the payment of that sum would have the desirable effect of liberating you from all your present embarrassments & difficulties as it is at this time to pay the Specie we would do every thing in our power to effect it — but the inevitable consequence of paying M^r Gibbs would be the adoption of similar measures by many of your other creditors in expectation of relief from your other friends, and they would be more obstinate in their measures after this success of one of your Creditors than otherwise they would be — We therefore are clearly of opinion — M^r Gibbs might not at this time [undecipherable] benefitted by his manoeuvre, and that now is the time to put a stop to such a procedure — We shall be happy to supply with any monies necessary for your expenses which at [undecipherable] and have written to our friends at Boston to discountenance M^r Gibbs conduct and if possible prevail upon him to abandon it. We are Dear Sir Your friends & Servants [undecipherable] [undecipherable] R. King [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [address:] Col. [undecipherable] Tracy Esq^r [docket, verso:] C [undecipherable] New York March 2^d 1[undecipherable] / [undecipherable] Tracy Esq^r