Charlestown Dec. 25. 1791. Sir The sales of the first Edition of my American Geog: are nearly closed, & I am making preparations for a second Editⁿ with a purpose to put to press early in the Spring — A desire to have this [strikethrough: Edit] as accurate, compleat & unexceptionable as possible, prompts me to use the freedom to make application to you, Sir for such information as may be in your power & consistent with your leisure & conveniency, to afford — Your being placed Sir, as the head of the Military Department, renders it proper that I should apply to you for the proper information upon that important Subject, both as it respects the United States at large, & the States individually — I have to request Sir, that in Some hour of leisure you would review what I have Said on this Subject in page 92 of my Geog — & make Such examinations, alterations, [additions?] as you may think proper — And also to furnish me with [undecipherable: Tables?] relating to the Militia of the Several States, as you may judge [suitable?] for the a Geographical [treatise?] of the United States. I will thank you Sir, for your opinion in regard to the propriety of [continuing?], [undecipherable] of the [American?] as continued in page 99. [undecipherable] or whether it will be Better to abridge it — Several respectable Gentlemen, are for its being a[bridg'd] — Your opinion Sir will decide the matter — Your acquaintance Sir, with the Territory N.W. of the Ohio, & the great intercourse you have had with the Army in that quarter, of late, must be much more [minute?] & complete than that of any other Gentleman in the U. States — I therefore use the freedom Sir to enclose you my former [account?] of that territory, written when it was much less known than at present, [with a?] request that you would give it a review & [afford?] Such corrections & enlargements as your extensive information may enable you to make — Among other things, Sir, I [want?] to be informed of the limits on which the Indian title is extinguished & the [manner?] in [which?] their title [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] the grounds of the present unhappy [war?] [on?] the frontiers — & to be furnished with Such Documents and papers, as shall enable me to give a concise but accurate history of it from its origin to the present time — I am emboldened Sir to make these large requests, from your known condescension & liberality in patronizing every measure which may tend to benefit & improve that country, which by your able Services in its behalf you have proved that you love, & also by that consciousness which I feel that I made these appeals less from Selfish than from Patriotic motives — I am Sensible Sir that affairs of the greatest magnitude now occupy your attention & must for some time yet to come — But may I not cherish a hope that Sometime between this & the opening of the Spring, you will honor my requests, so far as you may think they deserve notice — I have the honour to Subscribe myself, Sir with great respect, Your most Ob^t & most hum^ble Jed^h Jedidiah Morse The Hon^ble The Secretary at War [Address leaf: The Hon^ble / Henry Knox Esq^r / The Secretary at War; Postmark: BOSTON DEC 21; Docket: Jedediah Morse / Charlestown Dec [25?] / 1791]