New York, Feb. 13th, 1845.
My Dear Robert:
I re'd yours this morning.
Ferris would be a good man for
the Surveyorship. Personally I
would prefer him. Eli Moore is
an applicant, and Polk was
his guest when in New York some
years since, having been in Congress
with him. My own plan was
to give Ferris the Navy Agency
and Moore the Surveyorship
in case of rejections. The idea
of that nomination of Witmore
has given one a good deal of

concerns knowing the imputations
to which it would give rise. In
the Courier of this morning you
will see a specimen. The gratification
of friends is a desirable thing, but self-
preservation in honor and an [?]
[?] [?], a matter of higher importance.
However, I have advised the President
to leave the whole subject to you,
knowing that you have his honor
as deeply at heart (& in the course of nature
perhaps more deeply) that I
can have. Could not the present
vacancies be left over to Mr. Polk.
If all of one clique are in, there
may be a crash somewhere.
There is Leon and Ca[?] the
friends who have recommended
Wetman become satisfied with

him.