[Private] Philadelphia June [undecipherable] 1800 Dear Sir, Before the receipt of your letters of the 20^th & 21^st inst., measures had been taken relative to the [undecipherable] of the troops previous to their being substituted; for [undecipherable] the clothing be within the army, and a person recommended by [undecipherable] instructed a second time to Staunton to pay [undecipherable] recruits &c. The Sharp points in your letters will be referred to by my successor. It was only this morning I discovered among the papers enclosed in your public and private letter of the 20^th inst. I acknowledge the notice of the 13^th was no ways calculated to gratify curiosity. My subsequent letter will not be liable to the same objection. You will by this time, have fully comprehended the extraordinary situation affecting the past conduct, and present line of proceeding of the President, has thrown the country into, and the extreme [undecipherable] that it will destroy the energy of the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] the party itself. You will perceive the [undecipherable] which the acceptance of the office of [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] [undecipherable] they [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] then [undecipherable] for the [undecipherable] wrong and a total [undecipherable] nation [undecipherable] the officers [undecipherable] [undecipherable] hands, and so let it be all [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] thing [undecipherable] [undecipherable] motives, the danger to [undecipherable] has prevailed [undecipherable] [undecipherable] satisf[undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] carrying, as being attending [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the public acts of the [undecipherable] the opportunity to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of opinion, that it is [undecipherable] the affairs of this country [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] These men however, are few in number, and with the same meaning, of the same [undecipherable] men, who take little trouble to examine themselves, and follow, in [undecipherable] speaking, sees the [undecipherable]. Most of the former, I [undecipherable] me, with Mr. Adams out; and yet one of them many really think [undecipherable] to keep [undecipherable] is the only way [undecipherable] to keep [undecipherable], while [undecipherable] of those few, may be induced to express the same opinion and [undecipherable] under it from very exceptionable considerations. What ought to be done to promote the greatest possible union and exertion among the federalists? It strikes me, that the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] party, should act in the present extraordinary [undecipherable] and decidedly, that some prominent characters among them (say in [undecipherable]) should [undecipherable] a decided intention to [undecipherable] this [undecipherable] and not to form themselves, and invite by a publication to correspond with them, the federalists in all parts of the union. And [undecipherable] the dissidents left in their present state, to come to the field with united affections and not as [undecipherable] or under the impressions of a double [undecipherable] and at best doubtful policy [undecipherable] of the federal cause. It must sink at least for a season, and a passion [undecipherable] vain, ambitious, time serving, weak [undecipherable] man, of indecent manners, and greedy of and grasping at offices for his relations, be suffered to govern the United States, half the year at [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] with his minister and the Senate during the other half. What minister can [undecipherable] serve under such a President and preserve reputation? I expect to leave this Town for Baltimore about the middle of the month. If I do not see you there, I shall not forget you. Do all events keep me advised of the [undecipherable] and state of opinions to the [undecipherable]. yours [undecipherable] & sincerely James McHenry Major General Charles C. Pinckney