[Private] New York March 10. 1799 33 D^r Sir, Ought it not to be a rule to forward from your department to the [underline: Major Generals], as they are passed, copies of all laws respecting the military Establishments? At any rate you will oblige me by sending those of the Jefferson last finished. I observe in the 5 § of the Recruiting Instructions, filled up in Manuscript, the term of enlistment is five years. The law for augmenting the army § 2 directs the enlistment to be "for and [strikethrough: during] during the continuance of the existing differences between the [underline: Notales] & the [underline: French] Republic" — If there be any thing varying this, it has escaped me. Will you inform me? This inquiry is suggested by a new version of the recruiting instructions. As it may not have come to [undecipherable] of the officers of the army, to prepare for me a complete list, I should be glad to have one of the field Officers only, with a note of the Stations or destinations to which they have been assigned. I wish much to place them [undecipherable] the detached Posts & to ascertain the direction. I observe the XIII § of the Recruiting Instructions authorises the appointment of certain Courts Marshal. Where is the power for this Regulation? Some time since I requested you to send me the requisition of the Officers as forwarded by the Commander in Chief. You re[undecipherable] that no such document had come to you. I imagine that I must not have informed myself clearly for a[s] well remember that the document, which I mean, was made out in Alt— war hand writing, for the purpose of being sent by you. It was an arrangement or distribution of the Officers who were nominated, into Regiments. Battalions, and Companies, assigning to each company, by their names, its proper complement of Officers. It appears to me very important that the Regimental Pay Masters & Quarter Masters should be designated without delay. They are the proper organs through which all issues of monies & Supplies ought to pass. If I remember rightly, in the late war, the Q. Master & Adjutant were appointed by the Commander of the Regiment. — The Paymaster was designated by the Officers of each Regiment. What has been the practice lately? Whatever be the mode I wish very much to be empowered to have the thing done. Will it not be advisable [undecipherable] to direct the field Officers of each Regiment to report for the consideration of the President an arrangement of the relative rank of their Officers in the Regiment — This will not [strikethrough: affect] work any inconvenience as to the corps of which the Officers have not yet been appointed — And its being done will facilitate future operations — Y^rs very truly A Hamilton T. M^r Henry &^c.