rarely fall to the lot of imperfect man, to retire from this station, with the reputation^ and the favor ^ which bring him into it. fVithout pretensions to that high confidence you reposed in our first and greatest rewlutionaiy character^ whose pre-eminent services had entitled him to the first place in his country's love, and destined for him the fairest page in the volume of faithful history y I ask so much confidence only^ as may give firm^ ness and effect to the legal administration ofyour affairs, I shall often go wrong, through defect ofjudgement. When right I shall often be thought wrong, by those whose positions ivill not command a view of the whole ground, I ask your indulgence for my own errors^ which will never be intentional;
and your support against the errors of others, who may condeinn what they voould not^ if seen in all its parts. The approbation implied by your suffrage, is a great consolation to me for the past: and my future solicitude will be^ to retain the good opinion