[Draft] N. York 28^th March 1790 Dear Sir I received your favor requesting of me a [strikethrough: miletary] appointment for your Son [strikethrough: a [undecipherable]] I should be happy in an opportunity of [strikethrough: the [undecipherable]] serving you and him — and if any troops should be raised where is not improbable your Sons name shall be preferred to the President of the United States But as at present [strikethrough: I shall not be a prophet of] I [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] cannot herein upon this subject — I [strikethrough: am more told] if troops are raised [strikethrough: to] the members are [strikethrough: to be placed at present] That therefore The Officers of the late army will come [strikethrough: their places] justly entitled at large [strikethrough: to the] in commands [strikethrough: and] That therefore do not be difficult to obtain upon [strikethrough: any for] an [strikethrough: other place do not find the late [undecipherable]] But when an when an appointment [strikethrough: therefore] more [strikethrough: and [undecipherable] for] the more he [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] as [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] appears. [strikethrough: that Officers] in the [strikethrough: late [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable]] will [strikethrough: be given to] all new appointments in the line Guards, [strikethrough: the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] to stand] the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] appointments [strikethrough: may] have a [strikethrough: right [undecipherable]] before [strikethrough: made] in the late army This is necessary to prevent the casting Officers from their [strikethrough: superseded] where no government [strikethrough: many than in] Europe he rode [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] territory — and [strikethrough: doing every [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: probably in their [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: of opinion] I am [strikethrough: of the [undecipherable] things] the new government is acquiring [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] in [strikethrough: the [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: may [undecipherable]] recovery [undecipherable] at all [undecipherable] I have been apprehensive that the [undecipherable] [strikethrough: was to be] remote — [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] and [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] for [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] — [strikethrough: but the] [undecipherable] of these [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] the chance [strikethrough: of on [undecipherable]] merely [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] these [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] in favour of [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] — [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] nature and climate [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] for [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: [undecipherable] thing [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] having [undecipherable] entirely [undecipherable] [strikethrough: have] [undecipherable] forth as [undecipherable] objects [strikethrough: to] fully occupy the mind and [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] exertions of [strikethrough: the] [undecipherable] as [strikethrough: to the] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] of the Globe — But [strikethrough: would] this [strikethrough: thought of [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] burden the lines of [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] are the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] by the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] progress of [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] the [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] mind, [strikethrough: nor too long] employed [strikethrough: to [undecipherable]] of apt to grow [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] and imbecile — [strikethrough: The [undecipherable]] I have been apprehensive that the [undecipherable] of New England, [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] that [strikethrough: the [undecipherable]] of government — [strikethrough: [undecipherable] to be brought to [undecipherable] no unite the eat enormously] — [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] would [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] become fear and [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] ripe for new Empires If the people generally [strikethrough: themselves warmly engaged from great national [undecipherable]] the government [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] as [strikethrough: well] arranged may acquire [strikethrough: a [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] to last for [strikethrough: considerable] period — [strikethrough: [undecipherable] it [undecipherable] he [undecipherable]] I shall not be surprised, [strikethrough: the [undecipherable]] from the commanding and matured [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] [strikethrough: [undecipherable]]