Gentlemen:—
I beg leave to lay before you the papers on which the demand of the State of North Carolina is founded against Mr. Bryan Ward, of the State of Georgia, on account of my transactions with him on the part of the State. That Mr. Ward is yet a debtor to the State of North Carolina to a considerable amount will appear by the bonds and accounts herewith delivered you, and it is owing to the heavy losses sustained by the depreciation of paper money and the sudden and unexpected fall in the price of deer skins that he is so.
His ability to pay is, notwithstanding, at this time sufficient, for to my knowledge he is possessed of a valuable landed property. When he contracted this debt his credit was equal in goodness to any other man in the State in same line, and under all his misfortunes he still supports the character of an honest man. You will however permit me to inform you that he is an aged man.