Stephen Merrill 1st Octo 1799 Recd. Wants [undecipherable]-rately to vote for Ross

[circular stamp:] TREN - N-J OST 1

Paid 8 Samuel Hodgdon Esqr. Philadelphia Trenton 1.st Oct.r 1799 Sir, The American wish will own on this day wich generally induces to if it does not merrit a greater latitude of freedom with superiors than normal. This, & this only must be my Apology for troubling you at this times, for certainly I have not a wish to hinder for [undecipherable - paper missing] not the inportant beeings which I know presses daily on you. I was born in the United States, of Federal parents, (I am sure for they were from my influences for Independences I have never been not of the U. S., otherwise that off the cost, coastwise, I early embarked in the revo lutionary War, fought & was wounded before I was 15 years of age, I have constantly been a supporter of the rights of my Country by always supporting the Gov.t which my Country, mysels included, had thought fit to establish. I have exercised the right of a freemen for 13 years by allways officing, & Never hav ing been denied a vote at an election. I find by an Abstract of the laws of Pennsylvania that I am not entitled to a vote at the comming [undecipherable] because, first, I hae not been a resident of the Stat 2 years. second, I have paid no[undecipherable - paper missing] I have been in it were there a year & a half which is sufficient to deprieve me of a vote in all other places. I never have been asked to pay taxes in Pennsylvania, of any questions whate wer intimating that a Tax was or ought to be due from me to the state. All this considered, I feel myself rather crippled in my Rights as an American Citizen, in this being denied a vote at a Crisis which interests my feelings more than any that ever I have passed. I call it a Crisis be aware it is to determine whether the Vital, the Hearts blood of one of the first states in the Union is corrupted to death or not. Will you be pleased sir, to ascertain whether under all these circumstances it would be possible for me to be admitted to vote at the ensuing election for Governor. If opportunities should offer that you can, with out any inconvenience, make the requie ry, & give me the infromations, if it should be in the affirmative, you would amuch oblidge me. were I there I am concinced I could have some influence on 2 or three that would not otherwise, as I should vote for M.r Ross. I am Sir your Obedient Serv.t Stephen Merrill Col: Hodgdon