Two items which promote both the sale of stock of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company the letter also discusses Master's involvement as an agent for the company in Yates County New York. Balch's letter wherein he relates some of the history of his business dealings certainly leaves his track record in question.

"My Esteemed & Dear Sir,

Your kind letter of the 18^th was forwarded to me with 30 others last Eve. From Newburyport which have come to hand the last 5 days since my short stay in this city & for your kind attentions & renewed assurances of friendship be pleases accept my best thanks. I have now only a moment to say in reply to your Enquiries that our constitution has been drawn up by Hon. Daniel Webster under the provisions of our own State Constitution as well as general co-partnership Law & any thing done here by Mr. Webster is Law & Constitution if not Gospel.  You can insure (without regard to age) under the Established Table of Prems contained in the circular I sent you for one year or for Life or 7 or 15 years if you prefer but no insurance by persons over 50 can be made under a subscription to the Safety Fund Stock & by such means if you would wish to take the agency you can make yourself Eligible under the Rules. Our old friend Christoher Sirvoss of Shelby Basin (Orleans County) is going to put his shoulder to the wheel as he did in our old Co. in N. York, he obtained some hundreds of thousands of subscriptions for our old Co & says he is ready to try again in this and so are 20 others in your state of our old friends.

The Note which Mr. Cary wrote you about was one of $ 200 I gave to Lints to hold as a security for about $ 105 to $ 150 which I borrowed of him some 3 or 4 years ago. Mr. Cary wrote me about it last Saturday week I told him frankly my situation & assured him I would take it up as soon as I was able & that is all I have heard of it.

I intended to have secured you the agency of my Worcester Life Co. which I organized by my own efforts entirely last Spring & should have done so had not the Directors have spoiled the plans by making the premiums in Cash too high.

Gov. Davis is Prest of that Co & I now hold all the votes on over $ 65,000 of the stock the balance was taken up by 4 Rich Men in Worcester 10 days before one year run out for completing the organization.

As soon as our Constitution is printed as Revised by Mr. Webster I will send you a copy ....

I went into Bankruptcy in 1840 & got rid of all my old debts but Renewed Lints note after I was discharged."