[Cover leaf. Endorsement/docket notations at top, partially legible: "[undecipherable] Coll [undecipherable] Wilkes[barre?] [undecipherable] [May?] 1800 / log b [undecipherable]"] [Address:] [undecipherable] 2. 1800 Samuel Hodgdon Philadelphia Wilkesbare August 27^th 1800 Sir [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I have lately recieved a Letter from Judge Bourn in Rhode Island [undecipherable] the intentions of constructing a road from the great bend through the county [undecipherable] at a Distance [fallen?] Thirty miles in coming from that place to this I returned a few days since from that part of the Country, and find that it is there proposed that the road shall pass the salt springs which I suppose is upon the new land. It is right to know your opinion on this subject and whether you would be willing to contribute something toward effecting the object if it should be undertaken. The commissioners have not yet arrived nor do I hear any thing of them. The papers announce to us the disagreeable intelligence of the removal of Coll Pickering from the Office of Secretary of State, it is impossible for the people at large to be informed of the reasons which influence the conduct of the chief magistrate and if they were they would be unable to determine with respect to the propriety of his measures for those reasons. I have heretofore publicly justified the executive acts whether they have been agreeable to my principles or not, but the two last Embassies to France which I have always considered as degrading to our national character, and the [undecipherable] removal of Coll Pickering [whose] [undecipherable] abilities, patriotism, integrity and firmness I [have the] highest opinion [of] have ever suspected that [they] are not right in the Federal Head, for [undecipherable] here have supposed that those measures have been pursued with a view to the next election, if this conjecture is right, the President can be but little acquainted with the common nature & less with the views & principles of the party who have constantly opposed his Administration and I, he will not be reconciled with him unless he resigns the chair and embraces [undecipherable] principles. The Governour of this State [undecipherable] to be determined to make thorough work in removing Federal characters from offices and places them democrats in their stead. He has sent a commission to William Ross to supersede [undecipherable] [Petrus?] Collins as his Inspector. Collins commission has not yet for [undecipherable] questions [and] the [undecipherable] is not disposed to comply at present to the arrangement from your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Docket on address leaf: "[undecipherable] Governeur [?]"] [Filing notation: No D / [undecipherable]]