War Department 25^th Jany. 1800 Sir. The house of Representatives yesterday passed a bill to suspend enlistments for the ten additional companies of cavalry and twelve regiments of Infantry. It is now before the Senate, and may also receive the sanction of that body, altho' (perhaps) not immediately. It is therefore thought advisable that the terms of enlistment be altered, and until otherwise directed men, [undecipherable] and during the existing differences between the United States and the French Republic, or for five years at the option of the government." The object of the new term of enlistment, is, to prevent a waste of the public money, in the event of the bill aforesaid passing, by securing the men to fill up the Regiments on the old establishment without additional bounty and cloathing. You will therefore please to issue, with as much expedition as possible, such orders, to the proper Officers, as to leave no question, that the men to be enlisted may be transferred from the new into the old Regiments & from one Regiment into another at the pleasure of the Executive. The only restriction indispensible to be observed is, that no more soldiers be enlisted under the new terms, than are wanted to fill up to their complement the four Regiments of Infantry, the two Regiments of Artillerists and Engineers and two companies of Cavalry on the old establishment. To save time, I shall provisionally instruct Colonels Morris, [undecipherable] Bentley Parker Read [undecipherable] and W^m. S. Smith. [undecipherable] of course occupy yourself in the first instance with orders to the other commandants of Regiments to the Eastward. With great respect I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most Ob^t Serv^t James McHenry Ma^jt Gen^l Alex^t Hamilton