[Page 1 is wholly illegible. See archival notation.] [25 May 179[0]] [Thomas —] [[undecipherable]] [answered] Hon. the Major General Knox Minister at War New york [XXVI-63] [Alex Thomas] New york May 25. 1790 Sir, Altho' our circumstances in life being so contracted as to deprive one of the honor of a personal acquaintance with you, yet I humbly hope, from the general knowledge I have for numbers of years of your character as a citizen of the town of Boston & a conspicuous character in the late glorious Struggle for the establishment of the independence of these States, you will therefore consent not to be offended at the freedom I have taken in addressing myself to you. The subject of these lines is not to trouble you with circumstantial details of my present disagreeable Situation, by reason of being out of employ &c but in general to inform you that after being with Richard Devens, Esq. Commissioner General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for a number of years, as a Clerk, during the late War, & some time since, the business in that Office, being for a year past so small, as not to receive an assistant, I was then dismissed, the greatest part of which time, I have been out of employ, at length on Monday the 9^th Inst. came to the determination to leave my native & come to this place, where I am a Stranger, destitute of money & friends, in hopes I shall be fortunate enough to meet with some Gentleman who will give me employ, that I may be enabled with Industry & economy, to support my small family with decency. I have taken the liberty to solicit your patronage & assistance in some employ at a humble distance, for the above mention'd purpose. I have not been able to set forth my request with rhetoric, but that you may rely on &c was you to know the distress of mind I am in, for my family, you would be convinced, that 'as it is more blessed to communicate than to receive a favor' you never had a greater opportunity to experience the 'Luxury of doing good', than by assisting your destitute, & very humble Servant, Alex. Thomas. Hon the Major General Knox. Should you please to favor me with a few lines, you will be so kind [as to] direct to Alex. Thomas to the care of Mr. John [undecipherable] Printer over the Exchange Market.