[Secretary at War Letter May 2. 1793] War department May 2. 1793 Sir, The President of the United States has directed me to acknowledge the receipt of the letter in behalf of the Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Virginia dated at Richmond on the 24 Ultimo and signed by James Mcburg containing an enclosure of some Magistrates of Montgomery County, representing the conduct of Captain William Preston on an election of a representative for Congress in the Month of March last — He has further directed me to inform the Executive of his pointed disapprobation of the interference of the military with the civil authority and to assure them that justice shall be done as the case may require — That for this purpose he requests that the Executive would please to cause an inquiry of all the circumstances concerning Captain Preston or any of his Company to be made upon Oath and the result transmitted to this Office in order that a proper determination may be had whether the said Captain Preston shall be delivered up to the civil authority or be tried by a military tribunal — I have the honor to be Sir, respectfully Your most obedient and most humble Servant Knox His Excellency the Governor of Virginia