[undecipherable] I have received by yesterdays mail a [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] enclosures. And finding it proper to [undecipherable] the man[undecipherable] of [undecipherable] to result th[at] the detachment ordered to their [purpose/post] as [undecipherable] col[undecipherable] requesting you to be governed by the appearances of the one [undecipherable] you just as ample, and to forbear to precipitate it and the public [undecipherable] to [undecipherable]. That the risk the loss of the one and subject many of the men now having it to be [undecipherable] injures by the frost circumstances which change to be guarded against as they would unavoidably [retard] its prosecution the sooner shall [undecipherable] safe to note. I cannot however avoid lamenting as a public misfortune that [undecipherable] action on this subject should have been [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. Read your [undecipherable] my letter of the 20^th of November to authorize you to stop the detachment. [undecipherable] my letter of the 14^th of December supplementary of its meaning as requiring you to overcome the obstacles opposed to [undecipherable] descent by the season. With regard to your proceedings on the case of the Paymaster General. It would seem to me that a sense of respect alone for [an] Officer, through [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [residents] conducts all military affairs might have induced you to have received his letter when offered to you and stated, to contain a permission to [undecipherable] to repair to Philadelphia for the purpose of settling his accounts and without [undecipherable] circumstances [undecipherable] of disrespect. I well remember [that] when [undecipherable] who first told [undecipherable] when this [gentleman] was suspected of improper practices, and how [undecipherable] pray you the [same] it was that he should be sent to Philadelphia to settle his notes. I well remember also that those allegations and similar representations of mal conduct in others produced the following [opinion] a [undecipherable] on your actions of the 2 of [March] 1797. Should you find on a more perfect acquaintance with [his] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] things you have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] respect a [undecipherable] [and] the means of encouragement. I also [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] most [undecipherable] [undecipherable] you [were] not hoping from [him] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and the other [undecipherable] this as a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [against] this [undecipherable] the usual steps for their [undecipherable] however. [undecipherable] it [undecipherable] [proper] to you [which] would [undecipherable] [undecipherable] can learn [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [upon] Cap^t others [of] the [many] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] You state this in [his] letter was [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in Philadelphia [undecipherable] necessary to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] that [no one] can [undecipherable] portion of this right, [warranted] by any [officer] of exercise in consequences of [his] own [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] purpose [which] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] his furloughs came [undecipherable] through [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [agency] cannot rightfully be [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] when upon [undecipherable] ground then [undecipherable] in question you have [engaged] this bill to [undecipherable] furlough, shall I consider the transaction. You certainly had a right to complain of the [form if you] [undecipherable] to recapitulate upon its inconveniences [undecipherable] consequences to [undecipherable] as an order transmitted to you from the War office [therein] the measures of a [undecipherable] and to have refused to acting it upon that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] strength [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and [of] respect to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] reached [undecipherable] [undecipherable] while [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on this [undecipherable] [undecipherable] continue [undecipherable] and [those] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] these [undecipherable] at [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I have received your [letter of] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I will also [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Bureau] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [subject] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] ing for the regular [undecipherable] of [their] [undecipherable] War [Office/Official] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 1798. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [several] [hours] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [army] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Chief [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [maps] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] letters of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [communication] [orders] of [undecipherable] I begg[undecipherable] [it is] proper to make quick [reflections] on the circumstances [undecipherable] one, connected with the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to a [comparison] [undecipherable] without [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to apprehensions that the [present] period of [peace/war] [undecipherable] [services] on the [undecipherable] or before [your] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] upon [undecipherable] my being [undecipherable] this project had been looked into [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] as the [other] military [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [some] of them have also been matters within [our] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] by [undecipherable] [the] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [remain] that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] each of the kinds can be [done] also [undecipherable] a [recapitulation] of the [former] matters [undecipherable] [relations] of the [nations] [undecipherable] on [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] making this [undecipherable] [acting] by [undecipherable] [notices] of my [friends]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [above] [undecipherable] [shall] [all] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Bus] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I am Sir, with respect, Your obedient Servant James [undecipherable: McHenry?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]