Thomas Jefferson Randolph to Nicholas P. Trist
| My dear Nicholas | Edgehill Feb 15 1831 |
I was much surprised at the information contained in your letter and do not hope much from it. We ought to keep the most perfect silences upon the subject and as much aloof as possible. Yet no attempts will be made to defeat it by exciting suspicions of [. . .] fraudulent management in the affairs of the estate, the means of explanation ought to be at hand. for this purpose I Enclose you a statement which I must ask you to copy & return to me as I have no copy.with regard to the present conditions of affairs after applying all the funds available in every from way from the contributions before my grandfathers death & the sales of his property and the proceeds of his Manuscripts the balance remaining on hand without assetts to meet it. (excepted unsold and I fear almost unsaleable real estate to the value of $20,000) is $35,000. The paper enclosed has a statement of my connection with my fathers affairs which will perhaps not be wanted in anyway: but being very unwell confined to the house for the last fortnight and under the operation at present of sundry doses of medicines I must bid you adieu with the scrawl already endited