East Chester Dec. 20. 1798. The Hon^ble James Mc Henry — Sir — I have this day received your very polite Letter of the 17^th and with its enclosures, I feel myself much indebted for the friendship, [undecipherable: civility?] and candour, which accompanies every sentence, and I should not do justice to my feelings were I to omit expressing my self highly obliged for the polite observations relative to me contained in the letter addressed to you, by General Washington. With respect to the erroneous political opinions of which I have been charged, not knowing the nature or extent of them, I am not competent to make any answer — But my own Heart and feelings relative to the interest and dignity of my Country, have always assured me, that I could nourish no that, nor, nor any sentiment inconsistent with its Honor and Agrandisements the [strikethrough: undecipherable] being of its Government and the happiness of its people, Sure I am that no improper partiality for any other was ever felt or expressed — I have always acted upon the broad Basis as a free American uninfluenced by British or French Politicks, believing the Politicks of Independent America to be the true and only point of View, that her nations should ever attempt to display upon. [Abr'd] Should this System have in any degree electrified the feelings of the Partisans of England or France, they must excuse me for it — neither do I offer an apology. The General feelingly observes, that he has been afflicted with the information, well or ill founded, that I stand charged in the opinion of my fellow-citizens with very serious instances of private misconduct, Instances which affect directly my integrity as a man. The instances alleged are various, but that there is one, which came forward in a shape which did not permit him to refuse it his attention — It respects an attempt knowingly to lodge ninety to Major Burrows by way of Security which was before conveyed or mortgaged to M^r [undecipherable] Consta­ble, without giving notice of the Circumstance. With respect to the general Charges, that my integrity as a man have in various instances been called in question, I must candidly acknowledge, this is the first time the imputations were ever communicated to me and even now bound up with conscious Integrity, I deny the charge and defy the Informer. You Sir may better imagine than I can possibly express the feelings which agitate my mind at the moment on this important Subject, When I look back on the scenes of honourable public Life, thro' which I have passed and I dare venture to say, the interesting [undecipherable: respectability?] in my private Walks, I am at a loss to determine from whence such infamous and cruel calumnies could have [undecipherable] and can suppose it to [undecipherable] from no other source, than that some interested Attorney [undecipherable] to form an opinion upon opposite evidence. With respect to the last charge that I attempted [knowingly] to lodge ninety to M^r Burrows by way of security, which was before conveyed or mortgaged to M^r [undecipherable] without giving notice of the Circumstances — I answer — that the Informer when he introduced the words, [underline: attempted knowingly] became a base Calumniator and ought ever to be exposed to the most pointed and close investigation should he ever hereafter presume to make Specific charges or pointed communications. Your goodness Sir will excuse the necessity which to eradicate this point, and set aside this infamous Charge. It may not be superfluous for me to State that the [undecipherable] in matters arrangements which took place between M^r Burrows and myself was the advance of an immense Sum of money [underline: for the accommodation on my part in exchange for which] he transferred to me certain Lands in Virginia, the deeds for which I am informed are not good, but of this General Hamiltion knows more than I do and is necessary [undecipherable] answer. About twelve months after when M^r Burrows was floaty the full tide of prosperity in consequence of the flood I advanced in his affairs, bearing it my embarrassment to [undecipherable] in consequence of Bailors [undecipherable] tures and detention of my [undecipherable] illegally captured to the [undecipherable] value of upwards of forty thousand pounds Sterling, he voluntarily offered me his peril & requested me to use it — I did — When he became embarrased from his connection with M^r [undecipherable] Morris, Nicholson, &c. & [undecipherable] Allison, for sums unknown, I was held up as the Individual who was the father of all his misfortunes, while his other associates were scarcely known. I however immediately went to his House at Henderson and upon my arrival told M^r Burrows, that in consequence of his embarrasments, I had come from New York with all the property I had, with an intention not to leave him, without his permission, untill he was relieved from his embarrasments, he received me in his usual Style and I passed near a month at his House, in daily negotiation with his aid, to raise money upon my property either by actual Sale or Loan — for myself I had no other object in view than to obtain a sufficiency to relieve him, we were several times to be proposed writing an [undecipherable] of closing our negotiation, but the periods passed without a completion of our object, and after he was fully satisfied, that nothing could be effected thro' his influence or the influence of his friends, he requested me to go to New York & try there, which I did early in September but owing to the Scarcity of money nothing could be effected Shortly after M^r Burrows arrived at New York and sent me the enclosed [undecipherable] I immediately waited on him, and gave him assurances of my [undecipherable] disposition and readiness to do every thing in my power, either to raise money for him or to secure him to his satisfaction — He was accompanied by M^r [undecipherable] Smith [undecipherable] Baltimore [undecipherable]. He [undecipherable] would close with the propositions, I had made in Philadelphia — the transfers upon which the advances were to be made, I was then, as I had been at Philadelphia ready to make — On the 2^d of october I received [undecipherable] I waited on the Gentleman and told I was ready to do my [undecipherable] even upon that [undecipherable], for I could not [undecipherable] sacrifice I made, if M^r Burrows was but relieved. I made every necessary arrangement on my part called at 12 o'clock the next day, agreeably to appointment, ready to execute — on my entering the room there did not appear that cordiality between M^r Smith & M^r Burrows that was usually shew itself, and the [undecipherable] of M^r [undecipherable] was thrown aside. M^r Burrows and myself being left alone, he told me that he did not see any [undecipherable] mode of relief, then by transferring to him [undecipherable] an Estate in New York, which he would not discover under [undecipherable] condition — I assured him I would freely do it, to any amount that would satisfying him, and relieve his mind from its [undecipherable] torture, I went with him to M^r Troup laid before him a Schedule of my property and desired them to take as much as would perfectly satisfy the demand. In fixing the value of the property, M^r Troup, M^r Burrows, and myself [undecipherable] untill M^r Troup as M^r Burrows's Lawyer [undecipherable] — M^r Troup drew the deeds and I [undecipherable] them — In the hurry and anxiety of my mind I went to M^r [undecipherable] Constable with whom I had delivered most of my valuable papers and to whom I had transferred some property as security for his endorsement & I [undecipherable] — not advertising that I had transferred some [undecipherable] to him as a [undecipherable], I asked him for the deeds, he gave them to me, I went from M^r Constable's House to M^r Troup's [undecipherable] & gave them to him. The mistake was soon discovered and before rectifying; But how could the kind Informer propose it was possible for me thus to impose, had I been capable & so base an act, when the town records were open to M^r Troup as M^r Burrows's Lawyer, within three minutes Walk from his door, the charge is to be faced and if the Informer had any conscience [undecipherable] he will [undecipherable] the Attempt Knowingly and blush at his own [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. After the business was settled to M^r Burrows's satisfaction he took his leave in a friendly manner for Philadelphia. N^o 3. of the 11^th of October is M^r Burrows's Letter to me where you will find he expresses himself satisfied with the arrangements I made for him — N^o 4. of the 12^th presses me to consent to the advertising of the property as to be immediately productive — This I did as will appear by N^o 5 from Col. Troup dated 27^th of October. N^o 6. from M^r Burrows to Col. Troup will shew the pressure still continued, notwithstanding the full & satisfactory transfers made — What use M^r Burrows & M^r Troup made of this property the world well knows, they put it into the hands of [undecipherable] Brokers & plundering Auctioneers and after dissipating the whole of it, institute a Suit against me for the original Sum & have forced me to give Security for the Sum of One Hundred & Ninety three thousand Dollars in what they call the [undecipherable] of Justice — I had the opinion here been on me, who it seems to be in Philadelphia, this Security could not have been produced within the hour as it was — I have no observations to make relative to M^r Burrows's intermediate Conduct, nor upon the [undecipherable] combination against one, who never did an unjust act and fell himself, always above an unjust one. If from the injustice of others, I am obliged for a time to Submit to the circulation of opinions derogatory to my honor & my Character, I must rely upon my own conscious integrity for a support, until I can fairly move the mist from the Eyes of those who have been unjustly impressed & wait with patience until my accusers acquit themselves or I am blessed with an opportunity handsomely to unmask them. I have now Sir, answered you promptly and candidly and shall be happy to learn that my good General & yourself are satisfied with the Statement. I will now only observe, that I would not wish the President should again hazard the negative of the Senate in any nomination connected with my name, not only on the score of my private feelings, but upon the broad basis of the public good — If however I receive the appointment, I shall accept it, because I have asked for a Commission, & because in case of invasion I shall share the dangers of my countrymen whether Commissioned or not — But even then I wish it to be perfectly understood, that I shall accept it with a view to serve my Country, not to promote my Individual Interest — Let the question be determined for or against — it can neither lessen nor add to, my anxiety for her well-fare or my disposition to serve her at every hazard, nor the obligations I feel myself under for your politeness candour and attention. I have the Honor to be with great regard. Your most Obed^t. Humble Serv^t. [underline: W. S. Smith]