Washington, George, 1732-1799. The writings of George Washington from the original manuscript sources: Volume 5
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To THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE New York, August 8, 1776.

    Sir: I have been favored with your Letter of the 6th. Inst. and am happy, to find the Nomination I made of Genl. Clinton, 71 in consequence of your Request to appoint an Officer to the Command of the Levies on both sides Hudson's River, has met the approbation of your Honble. Body. His acquaintance with the Country, abilities and zeal for the Cause are the Motives

[Note:Brig. Gen. George Clinton. (See Washington's letter to the Secret Committee of the New York Legislature, July 19, 1776, ante. ) ]
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that induced me to make choice of him. However, I am led to conclude, from that part of your Letter which desires me to transmit him his appointment, with the Resolution Subjecting the Levies on both sides of the River at his command, that your Honorable Body entertain Ideas of the Matter, somewhat different from what I do, or ever did.

    When I was honored with your Letter of the 16th Ulto, with the Resolves of Convention upon this Subject, the State of the Army under my Command would not allow me to send a General Officer in the Continental Service, to Command the Levies you then proposed to raise; supposing I had been authorised to do it; but considering myself without power in this Instance.

    The Levies altogether of a Provincial Nature -- to be raised by you and Subject to your direction, I esteemed the nomination of a General Officer over them, entrusted to my choice, a matter of favor and of Compliment, and as such I gratefully fill it.

    I am persuaded, I expressed myself in this Manner to the Gentn. who were pleased to attend me upon the occasion and that they had the same Ideas. Under the Influence of this Opinion, all I expected was, that an Appointment would be made in conformity to my Nomination, If there was no Objection to the Gentleman I proposed, conceiving then as I do now, if he was approved by Convention, he was their Officer and deriving his appointment and Authority from them. In this light I presume Genl. Clinton must be viewed and his powers over the Levies you allude to, flow from you. Least accident may have mislaid the Letter I wrote you on the Subject, I have inclosed an Extract of it, so far as it had relation to it.

    It is not in my Power to send an Experienced Officer at this time to the post you mention; I trust that Colo. Clinton 72 will

[Note:Col. James Clinton, of the Second New York Regiment. He was made a brigadier general in the Continental Army Aug. 9, 1776; wounded at Fort Montgomery, N.Y., in Sir Henry Clinton's raid up the Hudson in 1777; served to the close of the war. ]
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be equall to the Command of both the Highland Fortifications, they are under his direction at present.

    In respect to the two Commissaries, I thought the Matter had been fixed; but as it is not, I have requested Mr. Trumbull, who has the Charge of this, to wait upon and agree with the Convention, on proper persons to conduct the business and in such a way that their purchases and his may not clash; to him therefore, I beg leave to refer you upon this Subject.

    I am extremely obliged by the order for the Telescope. I have obtained it, and will try to employ it for the Valuable purposes you designed it.

    I shall pay proper attention to your Members and persons employed in their Service, and give it in General Orders that they be permitted to pass our Guards without Interruption.

    Before I conclude, I cannot but express my fears, lest the Enemy's Army so largely augmented, should possess themselves of the whole Stock on long Island; When the further reinforcement arrives, which they hourly expect, they may do it without a possibility on our part of preventing them.

    I wish the Convention may not see Cause to regret, that they were not removed. I have the Honor to be &c.