I Know it is your Excellency’s wish and the desire of Congress that no more posts shou’d be established but such as might be necessary for the deposits of state supplies upon a line of communication from the Eastern to the southern states as pointed out by your Excellency1—any aditional posts are attended with a very considerable expence, and consume large quantities of our best Provisions—when they are appointed by the authority of any particular state and under the sanction of pay and rations from, Congress. I cou’d wish such states wou’d make provision without breaking upon the supplies required by Congress—except in Cases when any state is invaded by the enemy and the militia are called out into Actual service to operate in conjunction with the Continental army or a Detachment thereof under such circumstances and no Other the supplies ought to be furnished from the Public Magazines—there are three or four posts continued in the state of conecticutt, which have drawn very considerable quantities of Provisions from our public Magazines and are now applying for part of the little salt provisions put up in that state for Continental use—I wish your Excellency wou’d speak to Governor Trumbull upon that subject, and shou’d those posts be continued, that he wou’d adopt measures, to furnish them without Encroaching upon the continental Supplies.2 I have the honor to be very respectfully, Your Excellency’s Most Obdt and very Hble Servt