[Address leaf] War Department James McHenry Major General Alexander Hamilton [underline: New York] [Docket notation, partially obscured by ink blot: [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] / May 6, 1799 / No [undecipherable]] [fy 107.] War Department 4^th May 1799 Dear Sir, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] invariably en- listed in [undecipherable: probable reading "Lancaster"] by Captain [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] of Infantry, and shortly after cancelled. The circumstance has led me to [undecipherable] that it will be well to [undecipherable: probable reading "ascertain"] as much as possible the enlistment of foreigners. The [undecipherable] of the Rules and Regula- tions, for the recruiting service, is probably [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to natives, for soldiers, and adds [undecipherable] [undecipherable] foreigners of good reputation of sobriety and honesty, the same [undecipherable] [undecipherable], that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the army, to the full [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] be [undecipherable] or are entitled [undecipherable] the report of each return, which shall [undecipherable] the name or names of any [undecipherable] or foreigner, name or names, [undecipherable] note or notes, specify- ing both, [undecipherable] alien or [undecipherable], whe- ther [undecipherable], each such [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] Citizens [undecipherable] shall have become one. The articles also were intended to draw the attention of officers, possibly to the object of admitting native soldiers. [undecipherable] that to enlist, are often profligates and irregular in their habits; To introduce too many of them, into the army, would have a tendency to corrupt the morals of the native soldiers; and as they are bound by no principle of attachment to the country, their frequent desertions, might occa- sion, [undecipherable] the public, [undecipherable] disappoint- ments in the service. Should you coincide with me, in opi- nion, you will instruct the different officers now recruiting, to attend strictly, to the prefe- rence, to be given to foreigners, to enlist none whose reputations [undecipherable], and even to postpone enlisting those of the best characters, until the district of country, allotted them to recruit in, is exhausted of natives willing to enlist. I am Sir with great respect your obedient servant James McHenry Major General Alexander Hamilton.