To James Madison from Thomas Newton, 12 August 1807

I received your letter of the 7th. The negroes have been sent on Shore by a flagg to the commanding Military officer. One man has also been deliverd who I beleive may have become a Citizen since the peace of 1783 but go where he will he is nusance a drunken sott. I will thank you if you have any document respecting a Chrs. Hewson if you would forward it me. He has inform’d Capts. Douglass & Hardy that he is an Englishman & never applied for his discharge & they implicitly believe it, but will not beleive the assertions of An American impressed not even Mr. Pindal & Mr. Gibbs the Collectors son of Folly Landing. They are on board the Bellona unless shifted to another Ship. Hewson obtaind a protection from this office Sept 14, 1801, then 17 yrs old light Complexion red hair a mole on his breast, five feet 1 inch high, Wm. Garland of New York sworn to his birth place N York I believe he is a native notwithstanding he has told Capt. Hardy & Doug[lass] & if he was not afraid of the Lash would [] say so. Application Was made for a Copy [of] his protection or I never shd have known [there] was such a person. Inclosed is a copy of an affid[avit] made before me respecting James Scott This will shew their mode of compelling our Citizens to list. The evidence is respectable & others will confirm it if necessary. It is suppo[sed] Admiral Berkley will be here soon with all his fleet. A fourth ship arrived yesterday I am inform’d. I am respectfully Yr. Most obt. Servt.