Sir:
Your Excellency will permit me at this late day to do myself the Honor of acknowledging the receipt of your letter by Mr. Bignall. I should long ere this have complied with the directions therein contained had I not been prevented in the first Instance by indisposition and in the second by being compelled to go twice to Hillsborough in quest of Money. I would now however beg leave to inform your Excellency, that I have on hand of public Tobacco to the amount of three hundred and sixty-three thousand weight and upwards, the greater part of which is stored at Washington, to which place I hope in a very few days to get to the full amount of my purchases. If your Excellency has it yet in your power to give any Instructions as to the future disposition of this Tobacco I would thankfully receive them; if you have not, suffer me to request you will be so obliging as to let me know by the return of the Bearer when you are of opinion it is probable you shall be.