Philadelphia 12 April 1796. My Dear Oliver I write to you in the utmost confidence and beg that whatever you may think proper to do in consequence of it, that my name may be kept out of view. The treaty will be strictly complied with on the part of Great-Britain; compensation of course will be made for our captured property; and we shall be put in possession of the posts at the time stipulated, from which we can, when we please, commence successful operations against Canada, should war become necessary, provided the house of representatives make the appropriations required by treaty without clog or condition. If these appropriations are not so made, every hope may be considered as extinguished, and the nation exposed to a scene of confusion. Can you do any thing in this crisis? Can the Town be induced to do what may save the nation from being considered as violators of public faith? Call together our best friends, and see what can be accomplished at so alarming a moment. A great deal, if not every thing rests upon Baltimore. The address contemplated to the President is a good thing, but as it does not go to the point, it may be laid aside for an instruction to M^r Smith like the inclosed. To obtain this with as little opposition as possible, you must only communicate with those whom you can trust, in the first instance, and fix upon persons to carry it round the different wards at one and the same hour. By this means a certain party will not have time to take measures to defeat it. It is absolutely necessary that not a day should be lost, and that as soon as the instruction is signed, that M^r Smith should be urged to attend Congress. Let me again intreat you and my friends to show yourselves on this occasion worthy of the character you heretofore obtained and justly deserved. Farewell my dear Oliver. It is for Baltimore to save the Republic. James McHenry. I shall drop a line to M^r Peter Hoffman who may perhaps assist. I shall desire him to consult with you on the plan for carrying round the instruction.