I did myself the Honour to write to your Excellency some Days ago on the Subject of the Disorders in Massachusetts. At that Time the Intelligence from that Country, and of the hostile Movements of the Indians to the Westward were under Reference to a Committee of which it was my burthensome Lot to be Chairman, and the Business has engrossed much of my Time since. The Acts of Congress on this Occasion will be communicated to your Excellency by the Secretary; but as the most energetic Motives which called on Congress for Expedition and which would probably urge the States to Exertion, could not with Propriety be publickly declared, these Acts may require some Explanation. I am not at Liberty, however to give this Explanation without an Injunction that, while the Reasons for Secrecy continue, it be not published. Your Excellency will, I trust make the proper Use of it for the Purposes intended without hazarding the Consequences intended to be guarded against by the Caution which Congress have thought proper to use.

For the Purpose of giving this Explanation I shall inclose a Copy of a separate Report of the Committee, which has been agreed to and ordered to be entered in the secret Journals. This Copy however is taken from the rough Draught and corrected from Memory according to the Alterations made in the House; it may not therefore be an exact Copy, but it is nearly so.

In the present impoverished State of the Treasury we could think of no Method so likely to raise the Money speedily as by a Loan and we could not ask a Loan without pledging more than a Promise on worn our public Faith for the Repayment. The existing Requisitions were already appropriated. We therefore deemed it necessary to make a new Requisition expressly for this Purpose. The Goodness of this Fund will depend on the Exertions of the States. Congress are so deeply impressed with the Urgency of the Occasion that they have been unanimous in the Measures they have taken. The States however, not being possessed of equal Information may not feel an equal Call to speedy Exertion; hence a kind of Necessity arises of some confidential Communications which is now submitted to your Excellency’s Discretion. With great Esteem and Respect I have the Honour to be, Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant