Trenton 30^th Aug. 1798 Dear Sir * While I received your letter of the 30 of Aug. I was indisposed with a bilious fever, and [strikethrough: we visited le was not since a hard did] could not of course take any steps to assist you to discover whether [strikethrough: of the] the information given to you respecting the [strikethrough: conversation] sentiments, expressed by Gen Smith at the President's table [strikethrough: had] [strikethrough: received] [strikethrough: come] had been correctly related [strikethrough: to you]. In the mean while [strikethrough: —] [strikethrough: last] Cap Mitchell [strikethrough: did &] I found [strikethrough: hostler] on my recovery, that a certificate had been sent to you [strikethrough: stating by very] containing the [strikethrough: substance] of what Gen Smith had said on that occasion during my illness and as stated by Cap Mitchell to the [strikethrough: contemptible] men who subscribed it. [strikethrough: This] [strikethrough: Here was] Thus the business stood when the prevailing fever at Philadelphia [strikethrough: obliged] [strikethrough: forced] us to make before I had recovered. a very precipitate retirée. I have endeavoured by other testimonies, and since that time to ascertain the fact, [strikethrough: but when] [strikethrough: which I under] have understood, but yesterday evening that Mr Bayard of the House of representatives at Wilmington Delaware as was present at table with Gen Smith, and [strikethrough: he] & was so much struck with [strikethrough: the] my conversation and opinions [strikethrough: he expressed], that he mentioned them to several persons afterwards. [strikethrough: with much surprise and astonishment] I shall drop him a line to day to [strikethrough: know] learn the truth and request him to make it known to you of [strikethrough: the] the fact in case you had also [strikethrough: be] it may be proper also that you should write to him. Yours sincerely Col. J E Howard. --- Trenton 3 Sept. 1798 D^r Sir Col Howard requested me [strikethrough: undecipherable] to the inclosed fragments of [strikethrough: News Newspaper strangely altered that had informed he] a letter [strikethrough: addressed to him that he was told that] [interlinear: that] Col. Howard [strikethrough: has represented the that] [interlinear: Gen] Smith at the President's table [strikethrough: and] said [strikethrough: had to have represented himself at the] President's table, [strikethrough: that] he wished our envoys had given the French the money they had demanded, and that Gen Smith denies the charge. Col Howard has earnestly requested me to give him [strikethrough: the] such informa-tion respecting the [strikethrough: General] language and conversation at [strikethrough: that] this occasion as may be in my power to obtain. Yesterday evening only I understood [strikethrough: that] you were of the party at the President's, and that struck with [strikethrough: the genera] the Gen's. [strikethrough: conversation] sentiments you had repeated what he had said to several gentlemen. If the fact is so, I request you [strikethrough: soon] to take the trouble to state the Gen's conversation to Col. Howard, [strikethrough: to make him] your testimony I consider of importance and I am certain you will not refuse it. [strikethrough: *] I am D^r Sir with very great respect & esteem your ob^t S^t. [Col. J. Howard — [undecipherable] conversation of Gen. Smith. 3 Sept. 1798]