[Docketing: 16 Sep. 1798 / S. Hargreaves. / [undecipherable] and / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] P Free] The Honorable James Mc Henry, Secretary of War Trenton [underline: Mail] [undecipherable] Sir [undecipherable] the last Mail, informing me that the [undecipherable] Board was [undecipherable] way on the [undecipherable] Post of Mary[undecipherable] in [undecipherable] Am[undecipherable] [undecipherable] depend [undecipherable] old [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] to accept [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Aims to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] exclusively [undecipherable] that He is a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — the [undecipherable] or no Committee, and in [undecipherable] a Man of his Weight in or out of the House I have complied with this Request so far as has depended upon me — but it has occurred to me that a few Letters from you to some of your Friends there might have a greater Effect and it will not do to let [undecipherable: probable reading so] good a man fall for Want of the Aid which any friends can give — M^r [undecipherable]'s desire was that I should state 'what M^r H's political [undecipherable] has been [undecipherable] he has had in the management of past Questions & generally in what Estimation the [undecipherable] Stands with the 'leading Federal Members' — To his Estimation with our best public Men in [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] You can bear honorable Testimony, and You can assert with equal Confidence that he has been confidentially consulted on all the Operations of the federal Interest in the House of Rep. I have heard that my old Friend & M^r [undecipherable] M^r Wilson is dead at Newbern, N.Caro — I would not be deemed importunate — nor unthankful for the recent [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] United States for their ultimate Gratification — I am persuaded that I am essentially indebted to your good Offices for my late Appointment, and I trust You will believe that [undecipherable] had the proper [undecipherable] of my Obligation — Will [undecipherable] it should not interfere with better [undecipherable], think of me again — I hope I do not overrate my own Abilities in aspiring to [undecipherable] — but [undecipherable] You are a good [undecipherable] Judge [undecipherable] &c — I do not think the public [undecipherable] in that [undecipherable] Commissioners would [undecipherable] by it; The Transfer receiving Claims will not expire until the 29^th [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] that Time little else will be done — No Awards have been made, or will be made soon — and [undecipherable] until a [undecipherable: probable reading Successor] can be provided — I shall join the Board, according to an Arrangement made with them, the latter End of this Week — Please to present my Complements to M^rs McHenry, & believe me, very sincerely Dear Sir, Your obed Serv [signature] Easton 16 Sept. 1798 Honble James McHenry