[Docket on cover:] J M. Henry President, Geo Washington favoured M^r C Baltimore 13 June 1795. Sir. In the event of a new arrangement in the judiciary department, I beg leave to suggest to your consideration the present chief justice of this State, at the same time I [strikethrough: Chaning] having had no conversation with M^r. Chase, I do not know whether he would incline to relinquish the office he now holds for one that would be attended with greater fatigue. Among the inducements I feel for presenting his name on this occasion, is his general conduct since the adoption of our government, and the sense I entertain of the part he bore in the revolutionary efforts of a long and trying crisis. You know that his services and abilities were of much use to the cause during that period, sometimes by the measures he pushed or [strikethrough: had] influenced to get adopted, and sometimes, by the steady opposition he gave to the intrigues raised against yourself, and that if some of his conduct procured him enemies, whatever might [strikethrough: have] been exceptionable in it was greatly exaggerated at the [strikethrough: most] [strikethrough: moment] by the zeal of patriotism, which makes no allowance for [strikethrough: of] human situations, and afterwards by persons, who seem to me to [strikethrough: have been] always more intent upon removing obstruction [strikethrough: to] their own advancement than in promoting the public good, or doing justice to the merits of competitors. Your experience has long since enabled you to form a just estimate in such cases, and to distinguish between a man's real character and the representations made of it during the fermentation of a party, or by those, who approaching your counsels may have a special interest in the continuance of its observation. In this respect the public has done M^r. Chase justice with the exception of a few men who seem determined to pursue him to [strikethrough: old] age with a rancour which in my eye, no political quarrel can excuse or honourable ambition justify. In making this allusion I do not mean, I assure you, M^r. Carroll whose sentiments of M^r. Chase I have reason to think correspond pretty much with my own, as mine does, I am persuaded with most persons in the State of influence and government. It is, Sir, after having weighed all these circumstances; since our conversation respecting him; after having reflected upon the good that he has done, and the good that he may still do; after having debated within myself whether his political or other errors (which exist no longer) have been of such a cast and magnitude as to be a perpetual bar to his holding any office under the United States, after having considered the impressions which an appearance of determined neglect is apt to produce in minds constituted like his, that I have thought it a duty to mention him as a subject of consideration for present or future attention. I need not tell you that [strikethrough: Mr Chase] to his professional knowledge, in [undecipherable] a very extensive stock of political science and information; but it may be proper to observe that he has discharged the office which he fills without the shadow of imputation upon the integrity of his decisions. I purpose setting out for the South Spring about the last of this month. In the mean while I sincerely wish you health and the Senate a portion of your wisdom in their present important deliberations. Should you have any commands for me that may require you to write, let me intreat you if it may be done with propriety to tell me what you can respecting my dear and unfortunate friend La Fayette whose confinement and sufferings you have so kindly [strikethrough: appeared]. By the treaty between the French republic & [undecipherable] it is stipulated that all [undecipherable] are to be given up [undecipherable] I have the honour to be Sir, your affectionate and very Obedt. Se^t. Ob^t. James W. Henry + I ought to add perhaps that M^r Cass & [strikethrough: myself] are neither upon good nor bad terms, neither friends nor enemies; that we speak to each other when we meet and do business together without quarrelling when any thing of a public nature brings us together. He is always decent in his behaviour to me and I do not know that I am otherwise to him. It is on such occasions that I have thought [strikethrough: I] [undecipherable] that he would have no objection to [strikethrough: a] [undecipherable] appointment, and from all these circumstances united that I have ventured to speak of him as not wholly to be neglected when such a step should be opposed by some striking & imperious circumstances. Hes. Grey. Geo. Washington