[28] Quincy Sept 10^th 1798 Sir I have received your favor of the sixth & approve of your determination to make out the commissions in the order of Knox on the first day, Pickney on the second, and Hamilton on the third. This being done you may call Gens Knox & Hamilton into service as soon as you please. Your request to be informed, whether I attach any portion of the intrigues, which I alluded to, if any have been employed, to you is reasonable, & I have no scruple to acknowledge, that your conduct through the whole towards me, has been candid. I have suspected however, that extraordinary pains were taken with you, to impress upon your mind, that the publick opinion and the unanimous wish of the Federalists was, that Gen Hamilton might be first & even commander in chief, that you might express this opinion to Gen. Washington more forcibly than I should have done, & that this determined him to make the arrangement as he did. If this suspicion was well founded. I doubt not you made the representation with integrity. I am not & never was of the opinion that the publick opinion demanded Gen. Hamilton for the first. & I am now clear that it never expected nor desired any such thing. The question being now settled, the responsibility for which I take upon myself, I have no hard thoughts concerning your conduct in this business & hope you will make your mind easy concerning it. I have the James McHenry Esq^re honor To be Sir your Sec'y of State most obedient & humble Servant J. Adams