[Letter] 1804 July 26, New York [to] William Bard / Nathaniel Pendleton.

              New York July 26, 1804
 
 My dear William
 
 The letter you wrote me did indeed give me a great deal of consolation under the deep affliction I suffered for the loss of our excellent, our noble friend: and altho [sic] I know I suffered a more keen anguish from the agency I had in the causes that preceded it, yet I feel now that it was impossible for me to have declined, or even to have to have [sic] hesitated for a moment whether I would decline it. You know that besides the love, the admiration and respect I always had for the amiable qualities, the sublime talents, the generous spirit of that man, I was under particular obligations to him for particular acts of kindness, and of late also much more in the habits of confidence with him than any other man in New York. While these considerations left me no room to doubt whether I should accompany him, they have very much increased the anguish of mind produced by the result. I am much gratified that