As honesty however (in every transaction of life) is in my estimation, the best policy, I shall frankly declare to you, that soon after I entered upon the duties of my late station, I found that the multiplicity thereof allowed no leisure for the indulgence of private correspondencies; and having made it an invariable rule through life, to discharge every trust I engaged in, in behalf of the public, to the utmost of my judgment and abilities, I did not hesitate long in determining to relinquish the latter. I supposed, too, that when I should quit the arduous duties attached to the Presidency of this Country and return to the walks of private life, that I should have found abundant leizure to discharge all my epistolary obligations; but here also I have, hitherto, been disappointed; for my long absence from home (except in short occasional visits, which allowed no opportunities to look into the state of my personal concerns, and buildings) has so deranged matters which related thereto, and has committed such depredations thereon, as, at no period have I found closer employment than in the last five months I have been at home, to repair the damages: and this will continue to be the case for sometime to come.