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.

PART II.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 67
heart shall be with you; and, as far as my assistance
can go, command it. We have, I am persuaded, but
one object in view, the public good; to effect which,
I will aid your endeavours to the extent of my abilities, and with all the powers I am vested with. I
shall be happy in meeting you, and would have written to you more fully at this time, if the bearer was not
waiting. I could not, however, refrain from embracing
the first opportunity that offered, of expressing the
pleasure I felt at hearing from yourself, that you had
entered upon the duties of your office, and to assure
you with how much truth and sincerity, I am, &c.*
TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES CLINTON.
New Windsor, 5 June, 1781.
DEAR SIR,
In my letter of the 28th ultimo, I informed you of
the succours you might expect, if necessary. The six
* In a private letter Mr. Morris had communicated to General Washington notice, that he had accepted the appointment of Superintendent of
Finance; and in an official letter of the same date he wrote as follows.
"A committee of Congress having communicated to me the distress
of your army for want of bread, and shown me a motion that had been
made in Congress in consequence thereof, but which was committed in
order to a conference with me on the subject, I found myself immediately impressed with the strongest desire to afford you relief. Not being
prepared in my official character with funds or means of accomplishing
the supplies you need, I have written to General Schuyler and to Mr.
Thomas Lowrey in New Jersey, requesting their immediate exertions to
procure upon their own credit one thousand barrels of flour each, and
send the same forward in parcels as fast as procured to camp, deliverable to your Excellency's order; and I have pledged myself to pay them
in hard money for the cost and charges, within a month, six weeks, or
two months. I shall make it a point to procure the money, being determined never to make an engagement that cannot be fulfilled; for if
by any means I should fail in this respect, I will quit my office as useless from that moment." - MS. Letter, May 29th. - See also Diplomatic
Correspondence of the.American Revolution, Vol. XI. p. 367.