I presume that General Lincoln will have made your Excellency acquainted with the Situation of Affairs here. It becomes my Duty to mention one Circumstance for your Determination which I will adhere to even tho it should contravene my own Opinion not only because I have a firm Reliance in your Judgement but because you are in a better Position to be well informed of the Facts. It is with great Pain I learn that the few Taxes raised by the State of New York instead of being applied in Discharge of their Quota are all appropriated to particular Purposes. My Information on this Subject may be ill founded but having applied to the Governor for the Laws of the State relative to Revenue which I have not received I am obliged to take it upon verbal Communications Supposing the Fact to be as stated I am inclined to think that at least the Levies raised by that State should not be fed at the continental Expence. The Expenditures on those Levies I cannot precisely ascertain but I believe it to be somewhere between five and Six thousand Dollars monthly. This Expence at a Moment when the Wheat and Flour collected in that State is as I am informed held up untill Money can be sent from hence to purchase it at a high Price appears to be improper. There may perhaps be good Reasons for it but it may also be considered as unnecessary Profusion. Your Excellency can best judge what ought to be done but you may rely on it that we can very ill afford any Expence in our present Situation. I have the Honor to be with great Respect and esteem Sir Your Excellency’s most obedient and humble Servant