Persuaded that your Excellency punctually attends to every Thing which may respect the Eastern Department, as you declared in the first Letter I have been honoured with from you, since you are in the Chair; I hope all my Letters, since my Arrival in Boston, will be answered as far as it may be necessary for my Conduct.

I do not yet know what Congress intend to do towards fortifying this City and Harbour, the Necessity of which I urged in my Letter of the 30th: of November last, inclosing General Duportail’s Memorial on that Subject.— The Season advances rapidly and we may be attacked before we have Troops, a Magazine to feed them, or proper Batteries to keep off the Enemy.— What the British Generals will attempt, I know not; but the Advantages we throw in their Laps are really alarming to us.— The Invitation which the State of this City now presents to them is so tempting, that I believe, if they were ordered to return to Europe, they would visit us here, before their Departure, even tho’ they had no other Prospect than that of exalting their own military Fame, and diminishing the Opinion which our Friends entertain of our Wisdom.—1

The most opulent Families of this City are without Bread, and the Poor almost in a State of Desperation.— The public Magazine being guarded by, and consequently at the Mercy of the Militia of this State, I fear with more Reason than it is prudent to publish, that Violence will take away the few Barrels of Flower which are left.— It cannot be expected that the People of New England will submit to the Horrors of an artificial Famine, with that Tameness which distinguished, Five or Six Years ago, the People of Bengal, in a similar Case.— Men of the most extensive Reading have already observed, that such Patience is not recorded in the historical Page of any other Nation.— If Outrages of this kind begin here, their Progress may extend further than we can imagine; for, to stop it, without Troops, is impossible; and with American Troops, the most enterprizing General, if a systematic Republican, or a Man acquainted with human Nature, will act Cautiously in Stopping the Disorder.

The inclosed Copy of my Letter to General Washington of the 4th: Instant, in Answer to his of the 14th: Ulto. from Middle brook, will give Congress a true Idea of my Opinion, respecting our entering Canada, and the only Route which we can take with reasonable Hopes of Success.— Individuals, and not the Public, will be benefitted by an Expedition into Canada, by either of the Routes from Albany. That of Co’os2 alone is practicable; but not without the Co-operation of the Allied Fleet.—3

If Congress intend that John Brown be executed, their Resolution should be known very soon; or the only Advantage which the United States may reap from avenging Justice, will be lost.— He is in a melancholy Situation, and cannot live long, unless set at full Liberty.— Clemency itself would scarcely be an Act of Beneficence, if retarded.—

The Ten Thousand Dollars in Specie, now in the Hands of General Heath, seem to demand the Attention of Congress. I wrote on that Head, the 29th: of January, but have not yet received any Instructions.— In Justice to General Heath, I entreat your Excellency will inform Congress, that he is very solicitous of being eased of that Burden.—

Captain Banck, the respectable German Officer I mentioned in my Letter of the 3rd: of Decr. inclosing his Memorial, is needlessly maintained at great Expence, without doing any Service.— He might be usefully employed in Count Pulaski’s Corps, or otherwise.— Not to countenance him, would be cruel; for he deserves well of us.—4

General Washington’s Letter of the 14th: of Feby. is enclosed.— It being the only Letter I have received from his Excellency since December, Congress will immediately judge of the Extent, or Limitation which it is proper to Observe in their Instructions to me. I am Sir Your Excellencys most Obedient Servant