, and money for
essential services, 5,000

Clothing purchased on a credit for Fort Pitt and
Wyoming, 5,000

Estimate from the Navy Board at Boston, 40,000

Rum now sending on to General Washington's army, 5,000

My own money already advanced for the public service, 12,000
--------
$201,000

* * * * *

CIRCULAR TO THE GOVERNORS OF THE SEVERAL STATES.

Office of Finance, October 19th, 1781.

Sir,

I am now to address you on a subject of very great importance. I have
to detail some facts, which will demand the most serious attention
from every Legislature, and from every public officer in the United
States. It is my determination to administer the affairs intrusted to
my care according to plans, which are founded in sincerity and truth.
Convinced of the folly of our enemy, in supposing that any
considerable body of men in the United States are opposed to the
Revolution, I am persuaded that, in order to remove the greater part
of our difficulties, the first proper step is to state them fully to
the people through their representatives. It shall, therefore, be a
part of my study to prepare every transaction for the public eye, so
that the meanest individual may be in due time informed of those
affairs, in which, as a free citizen, he is interested. The various
reports, which have been circulated, the publications in the several
gazettes, and even letters from some who ought to have known better,
all these things have conspired to infuse an opinion, that every power
in Europe is favorable to us; that great sums of money are already
advanced to us, and that still greater may be obtained. Whatever may
be the fate of my administration, I will never be subjected to the
reproach of falsehood or insincerity. I, therefore, take the earliest
moment, in which I am permitted, to make those communications, which
will give an insight into our real situation.

With respect to the situation and politics of Europe, it is neither my
business to detail them, nor am I in a capacity to do it with
certainty. But this, at least, is certain, that the disposition of the
European powers, ho