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Washington April 2^nd 1818

His Excellancy [sic] Joseph M^cMinn Esq

Sir it is with no small degree of diffedence
that I approach you on this subject. as you know I am not
well disposed toward pro, tem, appointments when they can be
avoided But from the nature of a free Government all men
may at pleasure lay down any office which they haved held under
it and as officers of the Government have no Case for their
lives vacancies will orriginate [sic] from both causes It is there
=fore a wise regulation that the Governor for the time being has
been by the Constitution invested with the Authority of filling
those vacancies when they occur in the recess of the Legis
=lature Permit ^me Honorable sir here to remark that I am
throughly perswaded [sic] none will exercise that important trust
with more care and Circumspection than you will (for by
things that are past we Judge of things that are to
come) I am informed that his honor Natt Williams
has or is about resigning the office of Judge of the third
Circuit into your hands it will therefore devolve on you