[undecipherable] [marginal notation: Vol. 7 / No. 64] New York July 14, 179[undecipherable] I imagin, My Dear Sir, by the [undecipherable] letter which the post of yesterday brought me from you, that you have supposed that [undecipherable] thing not quite satisfactory to me had [undecipherable] in relation to the erection of a Hospital at Rhode Island. This I assure you has not been the case, nor has any thing come to my [undecipherable], which would lead me to think that [undecipherable] has been cause for blame in any quarter there. It happened that the Sec[retary] of War, in requiring my agency in the matter has not give me a [undecipherable] direction to act, which would be warrant[undecipherable] enough for me, but refers me to the law respecting the medical establishment as the [undecipherable] of my authority. There [he?] [send?] none to me to purchase ground [undecipherable] and erect upon it a building [for] a hospital. In that, the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [will?] not appropriate [undecipherable] the President is alone competent by the [undecipherable]. I [do] not [undecipherable] [to] be a fund (whether [an] appropriation or [undecipherable] or otherwise) why there may not be a building erected in [any?] [undecipherable] of the hospitals to be [undecipherable] [the?] [undecipherable] us to our Hospital, and not why a [undecipherable] provision for the ground and building for the [undecipherable] not be made either by the [War] Department — As to [undecipherable] [notation:] [undecipherable] for the [Navy?] one system of direction, so far as they are to be supported by the funds of the Government alone, I [perceive?] no objection to the law respecting the medical establishment. While I [experience?] no inconvenience, I am clear the [undecipherable] will continue to economy. [undecipherable] Y[ou]r [truly?] [undecipherable] [H. undecipherable]