[Docket notation, written sideways:] G. Washington — 14 July 1798 [undecipherable] [penciled annotation at top, undecipherable] Mount Vernon 14 July 1798 My dear Sir, (Private & Confidential) Your letter of the 8^th instant was presented to me by the Secretary of War on the 11^th, and I have consented to embark once more on a boundless field of responsibility & trouble with two reservations. — first, that the principal officers in the line and of the Staff, shall be such as I can place confidence in; — and, that I shall not be called into the field until the Army is in a situation to require my presence, or it becomes indispensible by the urgency of circumstances. — Contributing in the mean while, every thing in my power to its efficient Organization, but nothing to the public expence until I am in a situation to incur expence myself. — It will be needless after giving you this information, and having indelibly engraved on my mind, the assurance contained in your letter of the 2^d of June to add, that I rely upon you as a Coadjutor, and assistant in the turmoils I have consented to encounter. I have communicated very fully with the Secretary of War on the several matters contained in the Powers vested in him by the President; — who, as far as it appears by them, is not disposed to accommodate. — But I must confess that, besides nominating me to the Command of the Armies without any previous consultation or notice, the whole of that business seems to me to stand upon [strikethrough: undecipherable] such ground, as may render the Secretary's journey, & our consultation, of no avail. — Congress, it is said, would rise this week. — What then has been done, or can the President do, with respect to appointments under that Bill, if it has been enacted? — Be his inclinations what they may, unless a law could, and has passed, enabling him, in the recess of the Senate, to make appointments, conformably thereto; the nominations must have been made, & the business done here with the Secretary, rendered nugatory. — By the pending Bill, if it passes to a law, two Major Generals, and an Inspector Gen.^l with the Rank of Major General and three Brigadiers are to be appointed. — Presuming on its passing, I have given the following as my sentiments respecting the characters fit & proper to be employed in which the Secretary concurs. — Alex.^r Hamilton. Inspector ] Cha.^s C. Pinckney } May. Gen.^ls Henry Knox — or if either ] of the last men refuses Henry Lee. of Virginia. Henry Lee. (if not May. Gen.) ] John Brooks — Massachusetts } Brigadiers Will.^m S. Smith — N. York — or ] John E. Howard — Maryl. ] Either Edward Hand — Penn.^a ] Jonathan Dayton Jun.^r N. Jer. } Adj.^t Gen.^l Will.^m S. Smith — to be. ] Edw.^d Carrington — — — — — 2^d. M.^r Gen.^l James Craik — — — — — Direct.^r H.^l And I have enumerated the most prominent characters that have occurred to my mind, from whom to select field Officers for the Regiments of Infantry, & that of Cavalry, which are proposed to be raised. — And now, my dear Sir, with that candour which you always have, and I trust ever will experience from me, I shall express to you a difficulty which has arisen in my mind, relative to seniority between you & Gen.^l Pinckney; — for with respect to my friend General Knox, whom I love and esteem I have ranked him below you both. — That you may know from whence this difficulty proceeds, it is proper I should observe, & give it as my decided opinion, that if the French should be so mad as to Invade this Country in expectation of making a serious impression, that their operations will commence in the States South of Maryland. — 1. because they are the weakest; — 2. because they will expect from the tenor of the debates in Congress to find more friends there, — 3. because there can be no doubt of their arming the Negroes against us, — and 4. because they would be more contiguous to their Islands, & to Louisiana & the Floridas, if they can obtain possession of them; & that will be the case if they are able to accomplish it, is, to my mind, a matter that admits of no doubt. — If these premises are just, the inference is obvious, that the Services and influence of General Pinckney in the Southern States would be of the highest, and most interesting importance. — Will he serve them, under one whom he will consider a Junior Officer? — and what would be the consequence if he should refuse and his numerous, & powerful connections & acquaintances in those parts, get disgusted? — You have no doubt heard that his Military reputation stands high in the Southern States; — that he is viewed as a brave, intelligent and enterprising Officer; — and, if report be true, that no Officer in the late American Army made Tactics, & the Art of War so much his Study. — To this account of him, may be added, that his character has received much celebrity by his conduct as Minister & Envoy at Paris. Under this view of the subject, my wish to put you first, and my fear of loosing him, is not a little embarrassing. — But why? — for after all it rests with the President to use his pleasure. — I shall only add therefore, that as the welfare of the Country is the object, I persuade myself, weak as I am in view, I shall sanguinely hope that smaller matters will yield to measures which have a tendency to promote it. — I wish devoutly that either of you, or any other fit character had been nominated in my place; for no one can make a greater sacrifice — at least of inclination, than with Your ever Affectionate G^o Washington [marginalia, in a different hand:] [undecipherable] expressing the conditions on which he accepts command. Gives a list of the chief Officers he has named — H the [undecipherable]. States his difficulty as to placing him[undecipherable] alone. P3 Alexander Hamilton Esq.^r