before any considerable Evils had happened in my Department as early as September last I asked liberty of Congress to resign my office of Commissary General of Purchases and gave some reasons which induced me to ask a dessmission—in October I repeated my earnest desire to be desmissed, when the Year shoud end—a Committee from Congress confered with me and I believe made a report which has never been acted on.2

I have now some new reasons to offer Congress which appear to me to be so just that I can not doubt but they will readily consent to my dissmission. Many objections have been made to the mode of doing business by commission, last Winter Congress appointed a Committee who made some efforts to alter the System, with those Gentlemen, I had several conferences,3 and though I had not alterd my opinion respecting the mode, I freely offered to attempt executeing any thing they shoud Point out, but after waiting here a long time, I found it necessary to attend to the business of my Department in ^the^ Eastern States where I had not been for more than half a Year, & where the boundless expenditur of Provisions seemed ready to swallow up the whole produce of the United States. When I went from hence I had reason to believe the Committee would form some new System which they believed would better answer the Purpose than the present one, which has suffered so much by General Attacks and unsupported complaints that it has lost its force. thus Sir is the old System destroyd and nothing substituted in its place.

The State of Mayreland have taken the business into their own hands and some of my Purchasers have been imployed by that State at 5 Per Cent Commissions and the whole flour of the State is out of my controul. the report of the Treasury Board and the Resolutions of Congress, have abated if not destroyed the influence of the purchaseing Commissaries.

I have some Vacancies which I cant fill in the present State of uncertainty for these with many other reasons I now once more ask permission of Congress to retire and resign my office. this I should not have done at this critical season if I had any prospect of feeding the Army

Conscious of haveing acted faithfully I shall not trouble Congress with remarks on the unmerritted abuse and slander indiscriminately heaped on my Department by every petty scribler in the United States nor wou’d their Malice have pained me if I had no reason to believe they were supported by men of influence; who wou’d have better served their Country by Assisting to detect the Guilty than helping to Slander the innocent.

I wish not to multiply the troubles of Congress or involve them in any new difficulties. I have an earnest desire to render every possible service to my Country but I must part with my peace of mind & good Name, or my Office! under these circumstances uninfluenced by Passion, or resentment for any real, or supposed injuries or neglect I am constrained to resign my office, and request you will signify this my resignation to Congress:4 I am with the greatest respect Your Excelly most Obedient Servant—