[Secret & confidential] War office 9 June 179[undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] was [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I have [undecipherable] him [undecipherable] [undecipherable] many years. [undecipherable] he [undecipherable] want of attention to him on the part of the government. As there was no [undecipherable] of this kind, [being?] repeatedly requested him through [undecipherable] also accompanied him to [see?] and [the?] may [undecipherable] a time had been fixed with him to [visit?] some time 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 [undecipherable: four hundred?] dollars and request that [you] employ the whole or such part of it in such manner as you may judge most likely and effectual to detect 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 as far [undecipherable] that you may come to the point with [him/himself?] should. [But?] if you discover this to be an [undecipherable] Perhaps, as it [undecipherable] may be of a nature to require it to be [intimated?] 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 [undecipherable] nominally from me, assuring him, that [although?] he did not think [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, your most [undecipherable] Serv^t James McHenry [undecipherable: with Samuel Shapins?]