NO. 182 1 RICHARD RUSH — ABLER 25 1 



felt condolence than Mrs. Rush and myself, which neither you nor Mrs. 

 Aspinwall I am sure will doubt. Believe me my dear Sir I felt sincerely for 

 you. Having so recently been with your amiable and interestirg family cir- 

 cle, I can see the more vividly the chasm that was made. But I will say no 

 more, except to be remembered in the most friendly and kind manner, my 

 wife joining, to Mrs. A. and the flock still surrounding you, and capable of 

 aflfording you so many sources of happiness and content. 



I had intended before this to drop you a line on the termination of the 

 little Smithson affair. I assure you we both came well out of it, as I hoped 

 we should. I have reason to know that there were those in Congress eagle- 

 eyed to find fault, but they could not. All that I did, with your good aid, 

 was so fair and square — so above all cavil even — that they had to give up the 

 task as hopeless. I have been fully discharged from the trust; my accounts 

 all settled, all found correct, no extra charges, no disputed items, no sus- 

 pended ones, (*) no any thing of that sort, and in the end I had a letter 

 from the Secretary of the Treasury in which he was pleased to speak of the' 

 fidelity, care, promptness, &c., &c., with which the whole matter had been 

 conducted, and to hear verbally when at Washington of your judicious and 

 commendable assistance to me. But O what a little uproar would have been 

 raised if we had not kept the main fund as undiminished as possible; even 

 our old friend Mr. Adams would not have spared us you may be sure. It is 

 well that we saved it from the usual mercantile pickings. I hope my son 

 showed you the documents published by Congress on the subject. I would 

 have sent you a copy of them also, had I been able to procure one. 



With renewed and kindest remembrances to you all, 

 I am, my dear sir. 



Ever sincerely yours, 



Richard Rush. 



(*) (The accounting officers wanted to suspend one item, a sum I had paid 

 Mr. Brent, consul at Paris, under express directions from the department; 

 but I said no, I will give up the item first — I will have a final and full clear- 

 ance, and got it — and the item allowed too) 



(Upon reverse :) 



Sydenham, nr. Philada., 18 May, 1839. R. 19th June. A. 23d Augt. Richd. 

 Rush. 



