The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

176 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [ET. 24.
which they are well informed, by some who have been
a number of years in the army. They would then think
it no hardship to be subject to the punishments and fatigues. Were this done, and an order given by the
Committee empowering me to provide for them, according to the rules and customs of the army, I then should
know what I am about. I could do it without hesitation
or fear, and, I am convinced, to the satisfaction and interest of the country. As the case now stands, we are
upon such an odd establishment, under such uncertain
regulations, and subject to so much inconvenience, that
I am wandering in a wilderness of difficulties, and am
ignorant of the ways to extricate myself, and to act for
the satisfaction of the country, the soldiers, or myself.
Having no certain rules for the direction of my conduct,
I am afraid to turn to this hand or to that, lest it should
be censured. If such an order, as I before spoke of,
were to issue from your Board, I would then immediately provide upon the best terms a quantity of all kinds
of ammunition and clothes for the use of the regiment,
and deliver them out to each company, as their wants
required, takling care to deduct the value of all such
things from their pay. By these means the soldiers
would be always provided and fit for duty, and would
do it cheerfully, and the country sustain no other loss,
than advancing the money for a few months to lay in
those stores, as this money would always be restored
by the soldiers again.*
I have hitherto been afraid to advance any sums of
money for this salutary purpose, and have always bought
the articles at extravagant prices, and been obliged to
send to different parts, ere they could be had, which
* These requests, in regard to the soldiers, were so far complied with,
that they afterwards received full pay without any stoppage for their
clothing.