[Docket: London 28. Septem. 1799. Rufus King — enclosing letter & enclosures — Count Rumford — left the department in his absence] [nº. 24. [undecipherable] 1799] London Sep^r 28. 1799. Dear Sir, After a conference with Count Rumford on the subject of your letter of the 3^d of July, I wrote him the letter, a copy of which you herewith receive together with a Copy of his Reply. With the most perfect Respect [undecipherable], I have the honor to be D^r Sir, Y^r obed. Faithfull Serv^t Rufus King James McHenry Esq^r &c &c &c [Copy] M^r King to Count Rumford. London Sep^r 8. 1799. Dear Sir, I have more than once appris'd [undecipherable] wish that you might find leisure as well as inclination to revisit your native Country, where I have been persuaded you would meet with a friendly and cordial reception, and by your presence & [undecipherable] might be of great advantage to our public Institutions, the establishment of which upon approved principles is an object of the highest Consequence. I am happy that I have it in my power to assure you that I have not been mistaken in these sentiments, & it affords me peculiar Satisfaction to execute the orders that I have received from my Gov^t to invite you in its name to return [undecipherable] among us, & to propose to you to enter into the American Service. In the course of the last year we have made provisions for the Institution of a Military Academy, & we wish to commit its formation to your experience, and its fine government to your care. It is not necessary on this occasion to give you a detailed account of our military Establishment, which indeed would be best explained by a reference to the Laws upon which it depends; these are in my possession, & shall be put into your hands if you desire it — In addition to the superintendance of the Military Academy, I am authorised to offer you the appointment of Inspector General of the Artillery of the United States, and we shall moreover be disposed to give you such rank & emoluments, consistent with existing provisions, & with what has already been settled upon the [undecipherable] of those [undecipherable], as would be likely to afford you satisfaction & to secure to us the advantages of your Services. If your engagements will allow of your entering into our Service which I sincerely hope may be the case, I will ask the favour of you to take an early opportunity of signifying the same to me, in order that we may be prepared to give the more particular explanations upon the Subject. With the greatest Consideration I have the honour to be &c signed R. King. [Copy] Count Rumford to M^r. King. Brompton 12. Sept. 1799. Dear Sir, I am to acknowledge the rec^t of your Excellency's most flattering letter of the 8^th instant the painful [undecipherable: probable reading "perusal"] of which has filled my mind with Sentiments much more easy to be conceived than expressed. I am deeply sensible of the honor that has been conferred on me by the Government of the United States by the kind invitations they have put me to come and reside in my native Country, and also by the other distinguished most flattering proofs of their Confidence & esteem with which that invitation has been accompanied. Nothing could have afforded me so much Satisfaction as to have had it in my power to have given to my liberal & generous Countrymen such proofs of my Sentiments as would in the most publick & ostensible manner have evinced, not only my gratitude for the kind attentions I have received from them, but also the ardent Desire I feel to assist in promoting the Prosperity of my Native Country, — but engagements which great obligations have rendered [undecipherable: probable reading "indissoluble"], put it out of my power to dispose of my time & Services with that unreserved freedom which would be necessary in order to enable me to accept of those generous offers which the Executive Government of the United States has been pleased to propose to me. But altho' it is not in my power to dissolve the ties by which I am bound, yet I have no doubt of being able to obtain permission to visit America; & should that permission (which I shall certainly solicit) be granted, I shall take an early opportunity of crossing the Atlantic in order to pay my personal respects to the President of the United States & to return him my thanks for the distinguished honor he has been pleased to confer on me. I cannot finish this letter without requesting that you, Sir, would accept my best acknowledgements for the many Civilities I have received from you, and more especially for the very polite manner in which you have been so good as to communicate to me the favorable Sentiments of the Government of the United States with respect to me. With the most sincere wishes for the Prosperity of the United States I have the honor to be Sir, Your Excellency's most obed^t Serv^t [sign'd] C. Rumford. His Excely Rufus King &c &c &c