New York Feby. 17. 1785.
Acknowledges Shippen's letter of the 15th, received this day. "I delivered the enclosed Almanac to Mr. Hardy who returns you his thanks. Colo. Livingston delivered me your letter immediately on his arrival in this City, and I should certainly have answered it long before now, if I had not been prevented by ill health, and great pressure of business. You need not doubt my affectionate attention to you, and I rely upon your goodness always to attribute my silence to good reasons. I am from all parts of the U.S. written to in my private capacity, so that I am at this moment at least 20 letters in arrear to my correspondents. To answer them all punctually would at once destroy my health, and prevent all attention to public business. I do assure you that the business, and the ceremonies of my office, are too much for my feeble state of health." Explains settlement of his accounts with Shippen's tailor and for transportation of his horses to Virginia. "I pray you my dear Sir not to forget my Gun & Sword that I left under your care. The first to be cleaned, and the locks to be put in order and prevented from falling at half bent. I wished to know the expence of refitting the Sword."1
Receiver's copy, Shippen Family Papers, Library of Congress. Lee, Letters (Ballagh), 2:336 - 37.
1 In a subsequent letter of February 22 Lee adjusted his tailor and horse accounts and inquired about the repair of his chariot, and on March 3 he again inquired about the repair of his chariot, gun, and sword. Ibid., pp. 337 - 38, 340 - 41.