[draft] (Copy) War Office November 22d: 1786 Gentlemen: The various communications which I have had with your honorable Board respecting the regular payments of the troops in the service of the United States will evince my solicitude on that subject. It has been my invariable opinion that every evil of which the troops were capable might be expected to result from their want of confidence in the public arrangements. I have been convinced that the defective compliance of most of the States with the requisitions of Congress has been the Sole cause which has prevented better payments. The immediate relation which I have to the troops, and an anxious desire that the establishments directed by the resolve of Congress of the 20th of October, should be completely furnished in all respects, have induced me to confer with Mr Robert Morris of Philadelphia and Mr Jeremiah Wadsworth of Hartford in hopes that the public might derive substantial assistance from the great credit and monied influence of those gentlemen. Although I found that they possessed the best dispositions to render ever reasonable service [2] to their Country, yet at the same time it was in no degree their desire to undertake any public operations whatever. But not withstanding their reluctance I think it highly probable, that they might be influenced by the importance of the object, and its immediate connection with the welfare of the United States to enter into contracts for feeding, clothing, paying and transporting the troops for one year and to advance to the Treasurer of the United States the further sum of One thousand Dollars, on terms of which the enclosed paper might serve as the basis: provided the Board of Treasury should think proper to propose the same to them - I have conceived it to be my duty to transmit this information to the Board for their consideration who will make such use of it as they may think proper. They will I hope consider my conduct in this instance as it really is, a well meant attempt to promote the public interests. It will however afford me real satisfaction to learn that more eligible and effectual measures have been derived and are in train of execution I have the honor to be sir The Honorable The Board of Treasury [address leaf] The Honorable (Copy) The Board of Treasury Novr. 22d. 1786 [docket] No 6 - Package of 8 Letters