[Secret & Confidential] War Office 8 June 1797. Sir, [undecipherable] I have [undecipherable] to acknowledge this by [undecipherable] very nearly [undecipherable] of what he considered want of attention to him on the part of the government. As there was no failure of this kind, having repeatedly requested him through [undecipherable] those who accompanied him to come and see me; and as a time had been fixed with him to visit [undecipherable] the President, whom he went away with[out] visiting, I am led to believe that he did not wish to be seen with any of the officers of government, and from other circumstances, that his business here was such as he was desirous should not be known by government. Having had some intimations since his departure that the United States might be materially affected by the scheme which he may have promised to favour, I think it important that it should be fully known. I send you therefore ^{four hundred} 400 dollars and request that you will employ the whole or such part of it in such manner as you may judge most likely and effectual to obtain his secret. I do not mean, by giving you this latitude, that you should offer him money directly for it; but that in the first instance, you should endeavour to have him sounded by some person in whom he places confidence and in whom you can also confide, so as to get so far [undecipherable] to it that you may come to the point with himself should what you discover shew it to be an object. Perhaps, as it [undecipherable] may be of a nature to require it to be intrusted to his friends they ought not to be neglected. But whether any thing is obtained from him or not, it may be right to make him a small present of money from me, apprising him, that altho' he did not think it proper to tell me his errand when in Philadelphia I am nevertheless his friend and wish for a continuance of his friendship to the United States. You will be pleased to keep an account of the money you may expend that there may be no difficulty in the settlement of your account, and to let me hear the result as soon as possible. I am, Sir, yours most [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] James McHenry [undecipherable] Israel Chapin.