office 10 March 1796 May I be so free to [undecipherable: request] enough to favour me as soon as possible with your construction of the act of Congress referd to in the within letter intended for the President You will have perceived from the debates on Washingtons call for papers respecting the B Treaty, that a part of Congress are of opinion that the house of representatives have constitutional a right to refuse to raise money stipulated for by treaty While this question of right is pending in the house of representatives will not such a communication as suggested in the letter to the President by [undecipherable] made by him at this moment, be considered by them as an indirect attempt to draw them into an act which would be a conceding of this right, and may it not [strikethrough: perhaps] confirm them against any [strikethrough: imme] [strikethrough: diate] [strikethrough: decision] [undecipherable: immediate decision] on the other hand, may the Executive consistently with the law decline making such a communication and at the same time decline to suspend proceedings on the frigates' As I conceive the completion of the frigates essential to the preservation of the peace that has been made and [undecipherable: key] to the attainment of a peace with Tunis & Tripoli on our [undecipherable: conditions] and to its continuance with all, besides being practical to the general interests of commerce, I wish this business could be so conducted as to interpose nothing that might obstruct it Would this end in your opinion be best [strikethrough: ans] answered by an informal written or personal communication by the Secretary of war to the naval committee explanatory of his embarrassment and requesting a temporary order of Congress in the premises.' I am be humbly & respectfully yours &c James M^cH M^r Lee Atty Gen