[Copy] Mount Vernon Aug 1^st 1788 Sir, I received your letter of the 15^th ulto and can only refer you particularly the subject to which I refer that upon a recurrence to the General Rules, I find your Brevit promotion annunciated to the Army in the words of the resolve of Congress, and that by further researches among the manuscripts of Resolutions, I can discover nothing more on the subject — what was the understanding at the time when you resigned your Regimental Commission, I cannot at this distant period undertake to say — but I do not think it was absolutely necessary that the resignation of a Commission in the line should have involved the resignation of one held by the same Person by Brevit — Congress or their Commissioner for settling the Army Accounts must be the discretionary Judges of rights and propriety in this case with due regard am Sir Y^r Ob^t Serv^t G. Washington Major James Gibbon Philadelphia Sept^r 10^th 1788 Sir I am honord with your letter of the 8^th Inst and beg you to accept my thanks for your good intentions — Relatedly, I take the liberty of sending a letter to M^r Purvell which I request you will hand to him, it is respecting our Salary about which M^r White has already wrote to him — Should he mention any thing to you Purvell thank you for a line on the subject with respect W^m Mc^c Serv^t Joshua Dawson Joseph Howell Esq^re