Dear Sir:

I have your Letter of the 16th Current enclosing Receipts for the delivery of 100 Hhds. public Tobacco, wt. net 110,104, from the Agent of Messrs. Constable, Rucker & Co. Your Conduct in this Business is perfectly agreeable to me, but I am sorry Mr. Stewart could not attend to the receipt of the whole of the Tobacco in your care, as the longer the delay is in the delivery so much longer are we without credit in the Books of the Treasury, which is rather an unfavorable circumstance to the State. The receipts are very right & also the disposition of the Tobacco refused.

I cannot Constantly interfere in the matter respecting the prisoners in Colo. Geddy’s shevaldry, I recommend humane indulgence towards them which I since have learned was construed an interference in the executive with the judicial powers, tho’ what I sayed on that occasion was only as my own private opinion which I hope will always continue same, that is err on the merciful side, and altho’ punishments may be justly inflicted & I suppose they may be so in respect to these people, yet humanity shudders at the reflection of a confinement in a loathsome jail especially a person in a lower declining state of health; had I charge of those persons I would notwithstanding their transgressions show every Act of humanity that I could consistent with the duties of my office.