[draft] Hartford August 19th 1787 My dear Sir Major Sargent delivered me your favor of the 9th instant and stated to me the plan of a Voyage were the profits as certain as his stateing is plausible it would be impossible for me to meddle with it as I have more navigation now than I can manage but [strikeout] willing to do what was in my power I have tryed for a subscription among my friends here to raise part of a Capital but without success - Sargents Idea of a ship of 600 Tons being necessary is enough to scare every body - as the expence of Sailieng [sic] & ware & Tare of such a ship is immense & a much less one would bring Tea enough with [2] with other rich goods to swallow up the Capital he proposes &c ye credit intended to be had and should any accident prevent ye credit it would ruine all concerned. he would have had me write to The Re[illegible] & other of my friends in Boston & propose a voyage. but his name & intentions to be secret - this was impossible as I had no Capital to offer & I am persuaded S- has nothing to expect from the [Mercantile] People in Boston the contempt with which he has ever since ye if Peace treated those People they never will forget - but were they all his friends the Voyage on the great scale he proposes it will not go down - you will ask me if I reasoned this with Sargent - I did not - I left this for you who have so much influence over him as to make him attend [3] to you he expressed his fears if it was known that - he was providing an India Voyager it might hurt him with Congress on his plans of a Western Voyage I wish him success in his Eastern one - but am persuaded the other is more easily performed. Yesterday Sargent Webster sent to know the result of my application for his wages - his wife had thought of coming on to intreat your assistance - he is established in a printing press at Springfield with one [Russell] and would probably obtain [board] for him self & family if he could pay the small sum he has engaged his Partner & which he can no way get but from his wages - I have persuaded her to return & wait your answer to this letter - I would advance him the ballance due him - but the truth is I have advanced so much & made so many bad debts that I am really distressed to have sacrificed more than one thousand pound since I saw you to save my credit - our friend Greens family [4] must from this moment bill the next years remittance from [struck: Charleston] the SouthO [receive] all their supplies from me as way of [shilling] of the last years remittance was spent before it arrived- I wish you to send the Marquises letter to Mrs Greene & write her your opinion freely respecting George I am very anxious about his education not less so about Nats they are both Boys of genius but dissipated artfull & not inclined to learn - few Mothers are capable of taking care of Boys - perhaps none less so than our friend. I have not had an hours good health since I saw you [strikeout] not a moment I could call my own, my house has been thronged with company - and in the course of the last week only I have had more than Twenty applications some very pressing ones to Loan money or to enter into some extravagent speculation. I have almost resolved to go abroad indeed if my children were otherwise circumstanced than [5] they are I should and I have in contemplation to - carry them & Mrs W with me - but what to do with the family of our deceased friend. I know not but for them my scheme would soon be put in execution My sons Health is bad & would justify the trip - I hinted to you a connection that was possible it is less likely than when I saw you & I fear from the foibles you mentioned to me than any other cause - you will swear I have got the spleen - indeed I am not in the very best spirits but [strikeout] I never suffer my self to despond. if it is noticible for you to help ye poor Sargent you will save him & family from ruine - & tho the public have starved so many I wish this family may not be added to ye number - this long letter will be painfull to you but as I do not often write such you will pardon me - if I loved you less than I do I should not say things to you that no other [6] Person on earth but myself know - Adieu my dear friend present me affectionately to your family and be assured of my esteem & attachment & that the confidence I have in your friendship is one of the circumstances [struck: alluding] in my life that pleases me more than any other out of my own family - I am as ever dear sir Your very hum ser Jere Wadsworth PS. Old Pluckemin is such a leacherous dog - that no fence will keep him & so accustomed to Hay & grain that no [Parton] will fullen him - The flees & his lechery have made him very poor. I have given him to a farmer to ride about his farm till I hear from you what shall I do with the old rascal - [address leaf] private Free To The Honorl Major Genl Knox New York [docket] Colo Wadsworth 19 Augt 1787 Recd by forward 26th