[undecipherable] [J T Gilman 10 [undecipherable] 1799] War Department [undecipherable] June 179[undecipherable] Sir. [I] have received your letter dated [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] [undecipherable] ult[undecipherable] you [will?] be pleased to suppose, [undecipherable] written to your Excellency [was?] [undecipherable] [up]on [a?] [undecipherable] personal respect, and a [desire?] [undecipherable] [this?] [my?] [letter?] did not [answer?] at the time of [undecipherable] [sending?] my circular to the Senators in [undecipherable] [New] Hampshire, that an [undecipherable] [the?] [idea?] of political sentiments might [undecipherable] [some?] operation on your part, with [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [gentlemen,] an awkward, if not [a?] disagreeable or [unpleasant?] business to you, [involving?] a selection of [broken?] characters, to [fill?] the at present of the continental army [obliged?] to be drawn from the State [over which] you preside. An universal [bravery?] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] it [undecipherable] at the [undecipherable] the circular, to mean to any circumstance of strict Propriety, but of this you are my be [appointed?]. I had no idea in the measure taken, [towards?] an [item?] of [purpose?] [undecipherable], to your [political?] [undecipherable]. [You?] [raise?] [also?] [question?], whether I should not have induced more evils by making exclusions in a general arrangement, than the course that has been adopted. [If?] [undecipherable] upon [undecipherable] by your influence, and in the [person?] of [others,] as [the?] [thing?] is [undecipherable], and [could?] not [once?] be avoided, [pointedly?] aid in mak[ing] [auspicious?] [selection?] of characters for the [military?] [appointments?] [undecipherable] [reputed?], [undecipherable] [will?] no less [reason?] of danger to a national [sovereignty?], and [indep]end[ence?] [undecipherable] [beneficial?] to [undecipherable] Country, and [prejudicial?] to [his?] [own?] [passage?]. I [encase?] the honour to be [undecipherable] with [as?] [undecipherable] [esteem?] [undecipherable] your Excellency's most ob[undecipherable] St[undecipherable] [James McHenry?]