To Lancelot Minor

I am afraid I have waited too long expecting that the sheriff of Louisa would send me a note of the amount of tax on mrs Marks’s land, as you mentioned in your’s of Sep. 8. that you had requested him to do. I should immediately have inclosed him an order for it on Richmond. to supply both his & my omission I now inclose you 10.D. by guess, not knowing what the amount is.   I have consulted mrs Marks on the demand of mr Buck. she is entirely persuaded nothing is due to him from mr Marks. she observes that he was always a needy man and not likely to lie quietly so long out of his money. in this case the utmost an executor can do is to say that if mr Buck will produce such evidence as would be recieved in a court of justice, and would countervail the presumption of circumstances against it satisfactory1 to your mind, or in other words if you believe from all circumstances the claim is just, it will be paid. mrs Marks supposes he may be claiming against mr Hastings Marks the portion of payment which ought to have been made by Samuel Marks, and may be properly claimable against those who inherited his property. this however is only her conjecture of what is possible, & not from knolege.   Accept the assurance of my great esteem and respect.