New York April 21^th 1797 Dear Sir, Please to permit me to introduce to your Acquaintance my Friend M^r Maxwell a young Gentleman of our City, Who you will find worthy your Esteem. He applies to you on my Behalf relative to a number of our Office Certificates, That were stolen from me when in, [undecipherable] as remembered in the Year 1700 at Monmouth and [undecipherable] During [undecipherable] our common Friend Col. [undecipherable] there was nothing and with the liberty of [undecipherable] the necessary Enquiries relative to their State. His Death prevented my ascertaining which Steps he pursued. The Amount of the Certificates and the [undecipherable] their loss is of too much Consequence to rest in Abeyance; and also Invoking our former Friendship that the you might aid me and [undecipherable] M^r Maxwell in the necessary researches which we so highly oblige me. [The] offer of [undecipherable] on you during this like time ever when my [undecipherable] on your [undecipherable] letters to the [undecipherable] shall be very happy [undecipherable] your Friend [undecipherable] my Power — Rec^t my [undecipherable] kindly Fisher and believe me to be formerly your old sincere [undecipherable] friend of [undecipherable] [signed] [undecipherable] --- [cover/address leaf:] [undecipherable] Nov 1[undecipherable] A^o Reg^d William Simmons Esq^r Auditor General &c^a Philadelphia