You will be much surprised to hear of me from Reading, where I have been detain'd three or four Days in Expectation of receiving a Letter from York Town, the Substance of which is (I am told) a very Extraordinary Conversation betwixt the Marquis de la Fayette, and Genl. Conway, of which I had the Honor of being the Topic.(1) In the

   Course of a Discussion betwixt these Officers of the Expedition against Canada,(2) the Marquis Exprest his Astonishment, that I should be trusted to go on it, as he had been inform'd that my political Character was that of a Tory.(3) Risum teneatis, Amici,? if you can, your risible Muscles are not so flexible, as I take them to be. I think it is no difficult Matter to guess at the Quarter, whence this Insinuation comes, or the Purpose for which it is design'd. I am happy, however, to learn it in Time, for however I despise the Insinuation it will furnish me with this Useful Lesson not to risque my own Reputation, and Ease of Mind by troubling the Young Telemachus with the Presence of a Person, whom he cannot consider as a Mentor. Before I was informd of this Matter my Imagination suggested to me that the Pleasure, which the Marquis Exprest of my going with him as a Volunteer appeard more the Result of French Politisse than of Inclination; yet, as I was of Opinion my Presence might be useful to the Public, I was willing to sacrifice my own feelings to a more important Consideration. To persist in this Resolution at present would be a Breach of Self Duty, as I must in such Case sacrifice my own Ease, and (possibly) my Reputation, without the Hope of possessing with the Marquis that Influence, which might be necessary for Effecting Purposes beneficial to the public Weal. I have thought it my Duty to communicate this Matter to you in order that you may mention it to the Board of War (4) and to Congress, who probably depend on my going into Canada, and may thereby be prevented from taking such Measures with respect to that Expedition, as Policy may suggest. I think a Committee of Congress ought without Delay to be sent into Canada should our Troops oblige the Enemy to retire to Quebec; and though I owe too much to my own Feelings to Volunteer it, where I am lookd upon in a Suspicious Point of View, I will if Congress think proper, act as one of such a Committee, provided Mr. Law of Connecticut whose Probity and good Sense must be well known in Congress be appointed to act with me. Should Congress think proper to take any Measures on this Subject, they will be pleasd to communicate it to me as early as possible, directing their Letter to the Care of Genl. Schuyler. I shall now proceed from myself to the Public.

   In my last Letter (5) I inform'd you that I should endeavor to prevail on Genl. Mifflin to join the Board of War without delay. I accordingly explain'd to him the Manner in which the Resolution respecting his Settlement of the public Accts. had past,(6) and gave my Opinion, that it ought not to be consider'd in the rigorous Sense which at first View it appears to Convey. All my Endeavors, I am sorry to say, have proved fruitless, his Feelings appear to me greatly wounded, and what has tended to aggravate them is the Return of Mr. Butler from York Town without a Farthing of Cash; although the Department is in a most Miserable Condition for Want of that Article. I

   Your Zeal, my dear sir, for the Cause we are engaged in, will I trust engage you to rouse Congress from their Languour, and not to cease urging them on this Point, 'till Matters are put in a proper Train. So much Time has elapsed without any thing being done with respect to this Matter, that I doubt whether the Exertions of any Person whom Congress can at present appoint will atone for what has past. But should they appoint Persons of Ordinary Talents, or even Persons of Ability, but living at a Distance (whence great Delays must necessarily accrue in their Entering into the Execution of their Office) the most fatal Consequences must Ensue. Some of the Principal Misfortunes in the Commissary's Department were derived last year from this Source. Considering the present critical Situation of Affairs the Persons to conduct this Business ought in my Opinion to be Appointed either out of the Army, or amongst Persons in this State and that of Jersey, who have had some Experience in the Department. There are two Persons in Pena. who in my Opinion are well calculated to conduct two of the Branches respecting the furnishing Waggons and Forage. I mean Mr. Mark Bird and Colo. R.L. Hooper. The former is a Man of great Influence, and Property, and brought up from his Youth in a Business, which from its Nature, is capable of furnishing good Quartermasters, namely the Iron Factory; the second, you know from the Accounts and repeated Testimonies we have received is undoubtedly a Man of Business. To this it may be added that they have already been Employ'd in that Business, which must necessarily give them an Advantage over Persons, whatever their Talent may be, who have not yet applied them in this Channel.

   From Principles of public Duty, I am induced to mention these Persons; but I must observe that in my Opinion nothing can Effect a radical Cure to the Mischiefs which prevail in that System, and introduce Vigor, and OEconomy, not only in that, but in the other military Departments, but the ordering Genl. Schuyler to the Army, and prevailing on him to accept of the Qu. Ma. Department; and in Conjunction with the Comrs. of the War Office to model it, as they shall deem Expedient. I trust you know me too well to think I have so

   Shall I beg your Attention whilst I enter into some Minutiae with Respect to this Department, which have come to my Knowledge.

   Another Object, which demands your immediate Attention and in which a Delay must be fatal, is the Supplying the Comrs.(8) with Cash for forming the Magazines. I have conferred with Colo. Hooper, and the other Gentn. in this Quarter on the Subject, and am convinced, that if they are immediately supplied, nothwithstanding the

   Time which has been lost they will answer the Expectation of Congress; if not, all Prospect of forming Magazines in Time on this Side the Susquehanna must be given up. I trust therefore that they will be Supplied immediately with Money. I believe the Treasury Board are alarmed at the large Sums daily demanded for the public Service, but, when they consider that almost all the Articles in the Comys., Quarter Masters, and Cloathing Department, exceed on an Average four Times the Price at which they were purchased not twelve months Since, and that this is Season, in all Wars, where the largest Expenditures are necessary, their Wonder on this Point must cease. However painful the Reflection, more Money (and that a very large Sum must be immediately emitted) but this is like giving Water to a dropsical Man: a ruinous Expedient. It will give Ease for a short Time-but unless our Finances are better managed, than they have been, (or indeed ever can be by a Committee of Congress) the Sinews of War must fail and Congress lose Entirely the Opinion the public once formed of their Wisdom. Less than a Year must, I am confident, exhaust our narrow System of temporary Expedients, and Contracted Measures. The State of the public Debt, and the critical Situation of Affairs call loudly for the Care of Men of Superior Abilities, of Capacity, to form some great comprehensive Plans for our Relief-Men, who will not be biassed by a Consideration to particular States, much less Individuals; or content themselves with a languid Official Execution of their Duty; but apply to the important Business of our Finances with a Steadiness arising from a Conviction of their own Talents, and Integrity, and with the Zeal of Men, who are passionate for their Purpose. Such Men it is the Duty of Congress in my Opinion to find out as quick as possible, to entrust the Super Intendence of the Treasury to them, and to Support them in the Execution of their Office, and in the Plans they may Suggest for introducing public CEconomy, and supplying our Funds. I know it has been a Doctrine pretty generally received as Orthodox in Congress that the Treasury should only be entrusted to the Management of the Members of Congress, and my Colleague Mr. Duane (who to do him justice attended faithfully to it, and managed it with Reputation) is a Sanguine Partizan for this Opinion; yet, whoever considers how few Members of Congress could ever pretend to the Character of Financiers, the Evils, which flow from a constant Fluctuation of Members of the Treasury, and the Partiality in public Advances too often shewn to particular States, and individuals, from a political Complaisance which the Members are inclined to shew to each other, and the Impossibility there is of Members of Congress giving up Sufficient Time to the Board, to make themselves Masters of the Business, and to enable them to conduct it with Advantage to the Public, and with Satisfaction to Individuals, whoever, I say, considers these Points,