Your two letters of the 30th of August and 9th of Sepr. I have had the pleasure to receive.

   That there have been and still are some members in Congress of a persecutting Spirit is not to be doubted or wondered at when we reflect that one of the best judges of Mankind choose only Twelve out of the whole lump, and one of his number was of that class. But to suppose that Congress take their tone from that Class appears to me rather censorious. And if we may Judge from their final determinations I think the Contrary will appear.

   A change of measures in the QM Generals department was in some measure become necessary. Clamours run exceeding high against the department in general and wheither upon Just or unjust grounds made but little difference the clammour was gone forth and persons of Influence were not wanted to blow the Cole. At the same time I altogether reprobate the making any general chainge in either of the great departments of the Army during the time they are in the field let the plan be almost ever so bad, but as soon as the Army was gone into Winter Quarters I should have agreed most cordially to many of the Alterations that are made and should have thought some others necessary upon principals of expediteing the business as well as that of OEconomy.

   People in different stations of life are apt to think indifferently of each other as they do not feel the force of the difficulties that attend the other. The Gentlemen of the Army feel the difficulties and hardships that they are exposed to with all the severity attending, and are perhaps too apt to suppose they arise from want of Attention in Congress or a wicked disposition to distress them when perhaps the real cause arose from a train of disappointments that no humane prudence could foresee. I have lived the life of a Soldier for five years and I can say upon the word of an honest man I never passed a Summer so disagreablely as I have the present. Every day furnishing a new Catelogue of Complaints from the Army and other publick Creditors with out the means of Satisfying them on one Side, On the other a Series of Letters from governors and presidents in answer to letters pressing the states for money seting forth the exhausted state of their several Treasurys and the inability of their consituents to pay the Quotas of Taxes assessed upon them. After all what shall Congress do, Curse the states as some of the gentlemen of the Army

   The affair of General Gates defeat or rather flight rests very easy in Congress at present but I beleive the day is not far distant when some hard things will be said of the old Gentleman which will amount to a coldness in Congress towards him if not a recall or Suspension. I trust before this will reach you every matter of Intelegence I can give will reach the Army.

   The Southern delegates had moved in Congress that Major Lee Might be sent to the southward before I received your letter, the Motion was refered to general Washington who hath since by his letter of the 16th Instant acquainted Congress he thought it inexpedient to detach him. As that is the Case I must beg to be excused from making any motion in Congress for that purpose.

   I believe the ill nature that appeard upon your refusing to act as QMG is nearly exhausted at the same time I suppose the seeds yet remain among the gatoneans who upon an Occassion that suited their purpose would not be wanting to give your Carrector a fatal stabb. But when I consider their insignificancy as to Number, and that knowledg of mankind that you possess, I am Confident you will be able to keep out of their power untill fortune shall throw something in your way by which you can take advantage so as to put your self intirely out of their power to give you the least uneasyness.

   Congress have in contimplation the arraingment of the Army. A Committee have been appointed and have reported a plan which is not yet considered.(1) The plan is for raising an Army of 32,000 Non Commissioned officers and privates to be thrown into four Regts. of Cavelry, four of Artilery, Forty nine of Infantry, and one of Artificers to be officered by the officers now in service as the several states shall direct which is to be whole regular force of these United States each state to Inlist there Quota if possible for the War or for three years by the first of December next if not to compleat their Quotas by drafts so as to have their full compliment in the field by the first day of Jany. next at furthest. All Regts. and Corps to be reduced except as above on the said first day of Jany. As a Considerable Number of officers will be reduced I wish your opinion as to the mode upon which in justice they ought to retire. It is further proposed to Incorporate all the foreigners both Horse and foot into

   One additional Corps to be called the Legion the Command to be given to Colo. Hazen the other officers to be appointed by the Commander in chief. The plan for reducing the Regts. is in my opinion absolutely necessary upon principals of Oeconomy. It appears to me no nation on earth ever had more need of Oeconomy then we and made use of less. At the rate our affairs are now Carrying on from north to South Civil as well as Military all the Mines of Peru would be insufficient to defray the current expences. I hope you will not conclude from this that I wish to distress or injure the Army it is the Contrary I wish to put them upon a footing that the states may be both able to Subsist and pay them. You are too well acquainted with the abilitys of these states to need any arguments to convince you of their Inability to pay Annually 16,000,000 of Specie dollars which I can asure you is the least sum that will pay the expence of the Militia in the southern Army that I fear will be accumilated. We must immediately get a regular force in the field and some better mod of supplying of them then the present or our independance will fail us. The want of money seems at present be the cause of our greatest difficultys and principal distress.

   But at a time when we seem to be surrounded with difficulties on every side and aught to be exerting our joynt efforts to extricate ourselves and if possible prevent impending ruin We are wasting our time day after day in hearing the Yorkers dispute about the Independance of Vermont which hath taken up our whole time since last Tuesday Morning and we are no nearer a conclusion that I can see then when we began. I fear our doing the things we aught not and leaving the things undone that we aught to attent to will er[e] long be attended with fatal Consequencies & prove our Ruin.

   I would have wrote you more fully in regard to your standing in point of favour with Congress. But they are so fickle in point of opinion in regard to the officers of the Army I am afeard I shall deceive you. But thus much I think I may say that you stand foremost in the line of Major Generals in their good graces since the exceeding hard ride General Gates had between the 16th and 20th of August which is a most mortifing stroke to the gentlemen from Massachusetts and some others tho I think they do not yet sufficiently realize their Mortification. A proper oppertunity is only waited for when Justice will be done which never fail to make the Tools of Wickedness shudder. And should a Major General be detached to releive General Gates while I think is not impossible I beleive you would be the man. Some of the Members are exceeding uneasy that the old gentleman is suffered to hold his Command. A certain gentleman of Carrector in Maryland writes that he thinks Genl St. Clair aught to Superceed him.

   As to our affairs to the southard there is at present no fixed mode agreed upon, Congress have only recommended to the Legislatures

   I am with sentiments of Esteem, your most obedt, Hum Servant,E Cornell

    (OCIWHi: Norton Collection).