[20 May 1799 Uriah Tracy] [undecipherable: stamp] [undecipherable: stamp] Hon^ble James Mc Henry Sec^y at War Philad^a [To be returned to the President pleases. JMcH.] [rc'd 27 May] Litchfield 20^th May 1799 My Dear Sir — Your favor of the 10^th inst. has been duly rec'd & your politeness & goodness duly appreciated. — Mr Swift I have seen, & he wishes his friends nominated for the Regt now raising — Benn^d Badge, may be put to the provisional Army. — I have recommended a Capt Brown & two or three others in conjunction with Col Taylor for Officers in this Regt now raising — I am of opinion Col Taylor ought to be consulted in all the appointments to vacancies in his Regt — of course I have not, nor shall not nominate any man to you without first consulting him, & obtaining his hearty approbation. — I am sorry Mr Swift or any body else has recommended without this precaution. — Badge is out of the way you see — Tracy — I will [undecipherable] about [undecipherable] & I am confident Mr Swift will give him up, unless Taylor agrees to him; — My last letter to you is very explicit — & was all done with Col Taylor's full approbation, that leaves two [undecipherable] that to be appointed to complete this Regt which is now raising — One more — [strikethrough: two] Ambrose Whitlock of Granby in Hartford County I wish to recommend — as a [undecipherable] & will be responsible that he is all he ought to be or you can wish him to be; I will write to Col Taylor — upon this subject — he does not know Whitlock & when I last saw him, agreed with me, that I might look out one & recommend him — if he would look out another. if he will agree to [undecipherable] M'Swift's man, I will consent to it — & let you know; — but I request you not to appoint him, nor any other, till I can inform myself, & you further on this subject. — You may think I assume too much in this business — but I have taken the trouble to go almost all over this State, on the subject of these appointments, & am now returning from Hartford where I have spent a week entirely in the search for this — & the two Regt of the Provisional or eventual army, & have seen & consulted Mr Swift who will not be disobliged, at any management — — I am in good forwardness with a list for the provisional or eventual Army. Our Legislation is in Session, Kentucky & Virginia Resolutions will meet & their just answer — and all things proper for sound federalism will be done — I spent 8 or ten Days with them — in such time I did not, as I believe weaken their faith or measures. I thank you for the information respecting Fried &c — but I am in fear that something will occur to releas that fellow from merited Death — Pardon the length of this Letter — & believe me y^rs — respectfully & sincerely Uriah Tracy Hon^ble M^r McHenry