"To prepare the minds of the people for such restraints and such taxes and imposts, as are absolutely necessary for their own welfare; "To comment from time to time on military transactions, so as to place in a proper point of view the bravery, good conduct, and soldiership of our officers and troops, when they deserve applause, and to do the same on such conduct of such civil officers or citizens, as act conspicuously for the service of their country. "Finding Mr Paine well disposed to the undertaking, and observing that General Washington had twice in my company expressed his wishes, that some provision could be made for that gentleman, I took an opportunity to explain my design to the General, who agreed entirely in the plan. I then communicated the same to Mr Robert R. Livingston, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and proposed that he should join me in this business, by furnishing from his department such intelligence, as might be necessary from time to time to answer such useful purposes for which Mr Paine is to write; and in order to reward this gentleman for his labors, and enable him to devote his time to the service of the United States, it was agreed to allow him eight hundred dollars a year, to be paid quarterly. But it was also agreed, that this allowance should not be known to any other persons than those already mentioned, lest the publications might lose their force if it were known that the author is paid for them by government." By a letter, which General Lincoln addressed, to me before he went to the eastward, I find that you approve of my plan of sending officers to the four New England States particularly, with the returns of their deficiencies of troops, and with instructions to attend upon the Legislatures, and to endeavor to impress them with the expediency, and indeed necessity, of filling their battalions previous to the opening of the campaign. He informed me also, that you would be glad to give the same officers some instructions relative to the business of your department. If so, I could wish you would have your letters ready to go by the next post, by which time I expect to have the returns prepared. I have not yet fixed upon the gentlemen who will be proper, but you can leave blanks for the insertion of the names of those who may be chosen. As we may reasonably expect to hear soon again from Sir Henry Clinton, on the subject of the meeting of commissioners, I think it would be well to be preparing the substance of the powers to be delegated to the gentlemen to whom the transaction of the proposed business will be committed. What I would wish you to prepare particularly, is so much as will relate to the liquidation of the former accounts of prisoners, and making provision for their maintenance in future. I have the honor to be, &c. GEORGE WASHINGTON. * * * * * TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.