Benjamin Griswold acknowledges Lewis Tappan's letter of October 16 and claims that he did not reply because he could not accede to Tappan's wishes. Griswold informs that he is at present attending medical lectures and "can have no opportunity after the present season," and therefore cannot leave New Haven, but will do so if Tappan wishes. He adds that he has communicated this to both Amos Towsend and Simeon Jocelyn. He then comments that since he has lived in New Haven for only a short time, he has little acquaintance with the neighboring clergy.