lately completed their business: among their recommendations your name is proposed to The President as the Commandant of one of the Regiments, but at the same time that they presented the list of Characters approved of, General Washington accompanied it with the letter of which the inclosed is a Copy. I feel an extreme sensibility in making this disclosure and can have no other claim on you for an explanation than the Obligations of a Situation which demands from me the utmost candour and most perfect freedom of communication with the President. I am Dear Sir: your most Obt & humble Serv^t. James McHenry N^o 3. Philadelphia Dec. 13. 1798. Sir. You will observe that in the arrangement of the Officers allotted to New York, there is an alternative of William S. Forsyths or —— for Lieutenant [undecipherable] Commandant various considerations demand that the motive of this hesitation should be explained. Had military qualifications alone been consulted, the name of Colonel Smith would have stood singly and he would have been deemed a valuable acquisition to the service — Had there been no other sources of objection than to erroneous political opinions lately attributed to him his Honour and attachment to his Country would have been relied upon, but as well myself as the two Generals whose aid I have had in the nominations, have been afflicted with the information, well or ill founded that stands charged in the opinion of his fellow Citizens with very serious instances of private misconduct such as &c. &c. &c. while the impossibility of disregarding this information forbade the Selection of Colonel Smith absolutely, yet the possibility that it might admit of some fair explanation dissuaded from a conclusion against him — As it will be in your power to obtain further lights on the subject, it has appeared adviseable to leave the matter in the indetermined form in which it is presented and to assign the reasons for it, You are at perfect liberty to communicate this Letter to The President and it is perhaps clearly due to him in such a case, it is my wish to give him every proof of frankness respect^d esteem. Lest it should be supposed that —— has officiously interfered to the prejudice of Colonel Smith, it is but Justice to him to declare that such a suspicion would be entirely without foundation — with great consideration & regard I have the honor to be Sir. your most Obedient [To the Secretary of War] George Washington N^o 4. East Chester December 20^th 1798. To the Hon.^ble James McHenry Secy. of War. Sir I have this day received your very polite and friendly Letter of the 17^th ins^t. and feel myself much indebted for the friendship, sensibility and candour which accompanies every sentence — I should not do justice to my feelings were I to omit expressing my Obligations and impressions made on my mind, by the [strikethrough: condescending] observations relative to ones contained in the Letter addressed to you by General Washington. With respect to the erroneous political opinions with which I have been charged, not knowing the nature or extent of them, I am not capable of answering — But my own heart and feelings relative to the Interest and dignity of my Country, have always assured me, that I could not nourish a thought or port a sentiment inconsistant with its Honor and aggrandisement, the well being of its Government and the Happiness of its People — Sure I am that no improper partiallity for any other was ever felt or expressed — I have always acted upon [strikethrough: the] [undecipherable] basis of a free American uninfluenced by British or French Politicks — believing the Politicks of Independent America to be the true & only point of view that her Native Sons should ever attempt to display upon — Should this Systeme have in any degree elicited the feelings of any of the Partizans of England or France they must excuse me for to them, I have no apology to offer — with respect to the general charges in the first part of the generals Letter, that I stand charged in the opinion of my fellow Citizens with very serious instances of private misconduct &c &c. I must candidly acknowledge it is the first time the suspicion was ever communicated to me, and even more bowed up with conscious integrity, I deny the charge and defy the informer. You Sir, may better comprehend than I can describe the feelings which agitate my mind, at this moment on this important Subject. When I look back upon the scenes of honourable public life which I have passed through and I dare venture to say, the interesting respectability of my private walks, I am at a loss to determine from whence such infamous and cruel calumny could have sprung — and can suppose it to spring from no other source, then that of some interested [strikethrough: wicked] Person [strikethrough: expressing] forming an opinion upon [strikethrough: exparte] evidence — with respect to the last Charge — I answer — that the Informant when he introduces words "attempted knowingly" &c. became a base calumniator and ought to be exposed to the most pointed and close investigation should he ever after presume to make specific charges or pointed communications — your Goodness will excuse the necessary detail to elucidate the subject and just aside this infamous Charge ——— now Sir if the Informant has any conscience left he will swallow the "attempt & knowingly" blush at the intrepidity of his face and the badness of his Heart — I have no Observations to make upon M^r. —— intermediate Conduct, nor upon the singular combination against — I am not conscious of ever doing an unfriendly act, and have always felt myself above an unjust one. If from the injustice of others I am obliged for a time to submit to the circulation of opinions derogatory to my Honor and my Character, I must rely on my own conscious Integrity for a Support, untill I can fairly dissipate the mist from the Eyes of those who have viewed me thro an unfavourable medium or untill my accusers unmask themselves, or I am blessed with an opportunity, to unmask them. I have now Sir answered you promptly and candidly, and should be happy to learn, that my good General and yourself are satisfied with the Statement. I would now only further Observe, that noticing the strength of the torrent against me, I would not wish the President of the united States should again hazard the negative of the Senate in any nomination connected with my name — If I receive the appointment mentioned I will accept it, because for the first time in my life I have asked for a Commission — but even Sir, I wish it to be perfectly understood, that I accept it to serve my Country, not to promote my own or the Individual Interest of others Let the question however be determined for or against, it can neither lessen nor add to, my anxiety for her welfare, my dispositions to serve her at very hazard, nor the Obligations I feel myself under for your politeness Candour and attention — I have the honor to be with respect Sir your most Obliged & very Humble Serv^t. W.S. Smith