Enclosed you will find a recommendation of M^r Edwards by a number of the members of the Legislature of the State

The reason why they did not all sign it was this I drew it up and James M Davis requested the privilege of circulating it for subscription I allowed him to do so and paid no attention to the matter for several days untill I found that a Recommendation had been circulated among the members in behalf of M^r Sweet upon inquiry of M^r Davis I found that he had left the recommendation of M^r Edwards at his room all the time and had not procured a single signature to it I got possession of the paper and procured the signatures of those you will see and found that all the members I spoke to who had signed other recommendations expressed their regrets that they had not had the opportunity of seeing this one at first And this I honestly

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believe was the honest feeling of most of them I do not wish to be understood as saying anything against M^r Sweet because I esteem as a gentleman but simply to express my conviction that M^r Edwards would have been the choice of a large majority of the members of the Legislature

I need hardly say to you that nothing would afford me more unfeigned pleasure than to see the appointment conferred upon him I have undoubted confidence in his ability and integrity so much so that I would risk my life upon his discharging the duties of the office to the satisfaction of the public and to the honor of the administration I am certain if I know any thing in the world that M^r Edwards is by nature & education essentially & intrinsically honest to a proverb and that he has the inclination and the pride of character to discharge his duties to a [punctilio?] no man who has any knowledge of his character can for a moment entertain a doubt

My name has been mentioned by some of my friends in connexion with the office but I wish it to be distinctly understood that I have no pretensions and desire that my name should not be used unless M^r Edwards should not have any chance nor do I wish it to be understood that I would have the office if I could get it if my name should in any way prejudice the claims of the best friend I ever had My name has been used without my instrumentality and I never had the vanity to think that I have deserved the place M^r Edwards however has made sacrifices for our party which commend him to the favour of our friends every where and I think he deserves as I know he needs the office & I can assure you it would be highly gratifying to our friends here should M^r E get the appointment