University of Virginia Library

TO AMBROSE MADISON.[77]

Dr Bror,—I came to this place a day or two ago,
where I found two coinsrs only. A few more have
since come in, but the prospect of a sufficient no. to
make the meeting respectable is not flattering. I was
sorry to find in Philada. that the unpunctuality of some
of the purchasers of the Tobo. had put it out of the
power of Mr. H. to supply me with all the money become
due under the contracts. This unpunctuality
owing partly to causes which are felt everywhere,
partly to the abolition of the bank, has extended
itself to men who have scarcely before afforded room

for complaint. The disappointment reduced me to
the dilemma of either not executing the commissions
for the family & failing in some of my engagements
particularly in N. Y. or of leaving you still longer to
parry your creditors. Disagreeable as the latter
option was I could not but consider it as the lesser
inconvenience. Mr. H. has promised to spare no efforts
to get in the remaining payments as fast as possible,
& to send or even bring them to Annapolis in case
the session here should be prolonged till a sum worth
while shall be collected. If the Session here should
be so far shortened as to leave me time I propose to
ride back to Philada. & be the bearer of it from thence
myself. I shall probably write again to you from
this place. I do not write now to my father because
I have nothing worth the postage. You will let him
know that most of the Articles on his list will probably
soon be at Fredgb. perhaps sooner than this
reaches you. The West Inda. articles were dear &
for that reason some of them are abridged in quantity.
The other articles were cheap in general, which
led me to add several beyond my commission, being
well assured that if not wanted they may be either
disposed of or exchanged with advantage. . . .