[Docket: City of [undecipherable], Nov— [undecipherable] 1800, [undecipherable]] [Stamp: Received State Dep^t Nov. 24 [undecipherable] R.P.O.401310.] [Received] Mississippi Territory, Feb^y 7^th 1800— My dear Sir, By M^r Hunt last evening I recieved your several favours of July the 12^th October, 18^th & 30^th— It affords me very singular pleasure that you, my worthy friend M^rs H. and your family are still preserved amidst the ravages of fever disease. but let not this I conjure you induce [undecipherable] much of hazard— Temerity is not a good trait in civil life— During the Summer months you certainly should be in the Country— look around you, recollect the very many Victims to that pestilence which has so often ravaged your city and wisely take Warning.— I know not when I may have the pleasure of seeing you— I hope for it in the coming [undecipherable], but 'tis now more than ever arduous for me to leave home, my private engagements are very many and not unimportant, but a greater bar to my wishes is, that government is not yet completely organized— I have some very perverse spirits to manage.— I wish most ardently you had put in execution your design of transmitting me a correct statement of my affairs— the delay postpones my putting them in order— for the articles forwarded me previous to those by the Star I have recieved no Bill which was as I have wrote you material to me.— By a late letter from Captain C. Turner, I am solicited to advise you to adjust my concerns in the Land transactions, so that he may receive the Notes of payment given in my behalf. I wish you to do for me what is right and for your information in the business transmit you such Statement as I have Received, therefore desiring you to consider it an important paper.— My Secretary's pay should go on I think to my closing the Records in the North Western Territory may the 21^st 1798— because I continued to do the duty at that time in bringing up the business, though I was never, theless actually in a part of it, Governor, and making my arrangements for this place— the Records of proceedings in the North western Territory will prove my Services as Secretary to that period.— My Commission as Governor bears date May the 7^th 1798. and it is of importance the pay should commence therewith; bear this in mind my friend, and pray send me the Statement of my affairs without delay.— Owing to the almost impossibility of procuring Mechanicks I have not yet much Cotton ginned though a considerable quantity on hand— I shall ship for Orleans on the morrow forty Bales to procure me a little ready money, believing it better then to hazard the fare in price.— I gathered last year 200,000 l^bs— I commit a letter for my Sister to your kind care— Accept for yourself and M^rs H. my very Respectful Regards, and those of M^rs Sargent Adieu. (Signed) W. Sargent Colonel Hougdon