of the 13th ultimo,

_Resolved_, that in order that the Superintendent of Finance may be at
liberty to devote his time and attention to the more immediate duties
of his office, he be, and hereby is authorised, to appoint by letter
of attorney, or otherwise, such person or persons, as he may think
proper, to prosecute or defend for him, in his official capacity, or
in behalf of the United States, in all places where the same may be
necessary.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, May 14th, 1781.

Sir,

The honor conferred by Congress in appointing me Superintendent of
Finance, their several resolutions of the 20th of March, and the 21st
and 27th of April, which your Excellency has been pleased to transmit,
and a serious conviction of that duty, which every citizen owes to his
country, especially in times of public calamity, will no longer permit
me to hesitate about the acceptance of that office, although I must
again repeat, that I have the fullest sense of my own inability. I
shall, however, strive to find such assistance as will enable me, in
some measure, to answer the reasonable expectations of Congress, to
whom I can promise for myself nothing more than honest industry.

You will readily perceive, that much time must be consumed in
procuring proper officers; fixing on men for assistants, whose
abilities and integrity may be depended on; in laying plans for
obtaining money with the greatest ease to the people, and expending it
with the greatest advantage to the public; forming arrangements
necessary to carry these plans into execution; and obtaining
information as to the present state of things, in order that abuses
may be, if possible, speedily and effectually remedied.

Besides this, it will be necessary that I should confer with the
Commander in Chief, on the various expenditures of the war, and the
means of retrenching such as are unnecessary. Let me add, that the
accounts of my private business must be adjusted, so as that all my
affairs may be put into the hands of other persons, and subjected to
their management. My necessary commercial connexions, notwithstanding
the decided sense of Congress, expressed in their resolution of the
20th of March, might, if the business were transacted by myself, give
rise to illiberal reflections, equally painful to me and injurious to
the public. This rea