... War Department. 6 Aug^t. 1799 Dear Sir. It is contrary to the rule, I have prescribed to myself of leaving the military selections, for the recommending of Officers, required from the States respectively, entirely to the judgement of the gentlemen, who have been requested to make them; but I feel, that there is a call upon me, to solicit your attention to a particular candidate. M^r. Robert Goodloe Harper, is the gentleman I mean. He is represented, and I believe him to be a Native of N. Carolina; his Talents are splendid and he has usefully employed [undecipherable] of information, and solidity [undecipherable] in our public councils. He contemplates [undecipherable] periods, when it may be more [undecipherable] [a]nd honourable for a man in the prime of life, to act, than to deliberate in our Councils, and is therefore desirous of an appointment in the continental army. Do not the services derived from his abilities, render it proper to attend to his wishes. The station, if I may so express myself, to which This qu[ickness] and promptness of conception, elocution and information, have raised him, in an important [undecipherable] : [A] deliberat[ive] body gives him claim to a high [re]presentat[ional] rank, if not to something more.. It unfortunately happens, that General Pinckney, had made his selections for commandants of Regiments, before M^r. Harper's wishes were known to him, otherwise he might have been provided for, from the State of his late residence, and which he now represents in Congress if you have not made the same progress in your selections, or if you have, and can yet provide for a native of N. Carolina of very respectable pretensions, with propriety, it would I am persuaded gratify, and [undecipherable] me [personally?], to find his name applied, as Lieut. Colonel of a Regiment of Cavalry [undecipherable] to North Carolina. I would prefer this course, to making any alterations in the list you may [have?] forwarded. M^r. Harper has lately acted in the capacity of [undecipherable] aid, to [undecipherable] in his expedition against the North[undecipherable: probable reading "ampton"] insurgents in the State of Pennsylvania, but I suppose was too young to have taken a military part, in our revolutionary war. He is considered [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I am [undecipherable] Your [undecipherable] Earnestly [undecipherable] [Signature — undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]