The picture I have already given of this country will not be pleasing to you. Truth bids me add, that it will admit of a higher coloring. But what else could be expected from us? A revolution, a war; the dissolution of government, the creating of it anew; cruelty, rapine, and devastation in the midst of our very bowels. These, Sir, are circumstances by no means favorable to finance. The wonder, then is, that we have done so much, that we have borne so much, and the candid world will add, that we have dared so much. I could take up much of your time in recapitulating many less matters, which have tended to weaken the exertions we have otherwise been capable of. The confused state of public accounts, and the deplorable situation of credit for want of funds to secure, or means to redeem, the debt, for which the public faith is pledged, are, however, of such important operation, that I must not pass them over in silence. In the enclosures your Excellency will have perceived, that I have noticed the effects, which follow from the want of a final settlement of accounts. Representations on the subject of these accounts, and also of certificates given by public officers in the Commissary's and Quarter Master's Departments for articles taken from the people had been made by some of the States to Congress. The impost asked for by Congress was, I have already observed, for the funding of our debts. On the 13th of October, I wrote a letter to the several loan officers, in which I expressly prohibit the issuing of any more Loan Office certificates. The reason for this order will appear more clearly from the latter part of my letter to the several Governors of the 16th of October. I do hope and expect, that some methods will speedily be adopted by the United States in Congress assembled for settlement of the public accounts, as also to liquidate the several certificates given by the public officers, and to provide revenues for funding the public debts. The last of these objects must not, however, be urged with too much rapidity. The impost law is not yet passed, and is the first step. When that shall have been taken, it will give room for urging what further may be necessary. In the meantime, there is a well grounded expectation, that the clamors of our creditors will induce the several Legislatures to comply with the requisitions of Congress upon that subject.