Your Favr of the 15 Inst came to Hand last Evening. I feel very sensibly for your unfortunate ^am fully impressed with a sense of^ your unfortunate Situation and should be very happy were it in my Power to alleviate the Pain & Anxiety it must give You.1

I delivered your Petition & read your Letter to me, to his Exy the Govr. this Morning His [illegible] He regrets the Necessity which opposes a Compliance with Your Request, but still thinks it his indispensable Duty to cut off all possible ^prevent any all^ Intercourse with the Enemy between the Inhabitants & the Enemy except such as Reasons of State may dictate. The Objections do not in this Instance arise from Distrust, he means to make it a general Rule that no Citizen shall with his Permission go to the Enemy on private Business & return. He desires me to assure You that there is no Gentleman in this State to whom he would grant the Indulgence you wish ^in Question,^ but that he will nevertheless be always ready to do you any kind Office which may not contravene the Principles on ^by^ which his Administration is directed.

Thus my dear Sir ^Endeavour to^ Prevail then my Dear Sir upon Mrs. Van Schaack to suspend her a fruitless Anxiety to visit her former Habitation. The Time may yet come & perhaps is not far distant when that natural Desire may be gratified, and when she may again partake of those social Enjoymts of which these turbulent Times have deprived so many.

I should have enlarged on this Subject enlarged, but Company this moment arrived comes in, & constrains me to conclude this Letter—

I am Dear Sir with every friendly wish for Mrs. Van Schaacks Recovery & Happiness & person2 Yours &c.