[draft] New York 13 June 1786 - My dear Sir I received your esteemed favor of the [1] instant. The Marquis de la Fayette, also wrote to me, [struck: that] concerning the affair of the Eagles [struck: of which] the enclosed [struck: is an extract -] [inserted: will fully inform you -] I have not the papers of the General Society [inserted: they [being] with General Williams] therefore I cannot speak [struck: on that] [inserted: on the subject] so [struck: perfectly authentic] [inserted: accurately], as I could wish. But I have communicated with Major LEnfant who is here, and the following [struck: statement] is I beleive very nearly [strikeout] a true statement of the case - Major LEnfant conceived that the spirit of his [struck: orders] [inserted: instructions] directed that the order of the Society should be presented to the french officers who were comprehended therein. [struck: The] Accordingly he did present to forty two Gentlemen [inserted: of the [french army the [struck: bald] eagle, at the expence of the American society - This measure, was affirmed at the General [struck: Society] [2] Meeting held [struck: in] [inserted: in Philadelphia] May 1784. [struck: Had] some advances were made to Major LEnfant in 178 [struck: 4] [inserted: 3] previous to his departure to France, in order to enable him to [procure] the the plate [inserted: for the diploma] dies &c - A committee [struck: for] [inserted: of] the General meeting examined Major LEnfants account and reported a balance due to him of Six hundred and thirty dollars, [struck: which sent] [inserted: which report was accepted] [inserted: This [money is still due, and is all that [struck: can be said to be due] [inserted: is due] to him from the Society of the Cincinnati, as a Society - But Major L Enfant, [struck: in his zeal to serve the American officers, and at the earnest [solicitousness [inserted: with a view to serve the american officers, and at the influence of some] of [some] [inserted: of [theirs brought over to America [struck: one hundred and sixty more eagles] [inserted: upwards [strikeout] of an hundred eagles more than] than were [strikeout] subscribed for - I mean those whom you, myself and others gave him the money, amountg to about forty - [struck: On h] These eagles [struck: he obtained from] [strikeout] together with those [struck: from] [inserted: presented] the french officers he obtained on the credit of six months - On his arrival in America he found that [struck: the Genl] finances of the officers generally did not permit them to take [struck: the] orders, [inserted and struck: added to a] [struck: and] [inserted: or] an opinion that they were too [3] too high - Having bought them [struck: without] unconditionally he was in danger of having them remain on his hands [strikeout] a measure little short of ruin to him. He [inserted: therefore] was constrained to [struck: send them to several parts] send [struck: to] them to different parts of the United States, and accordingly he placed [struck: them in the hands] most of them in the hands of officers [inserted: in several of the States] - [struck: But] Some yet remain unsold - [struck: in the state] [inserted: In the State of South Carolina] upwards of forty were furnished and the Gentlemen [sent] the money [struck: to an] [inserted: into the hands of Major L Enfants] Agent but [strikeout] by some mal arrangement L Enfant has not [inserted: yet] received it [struck: yet] - [strikeout] His letter [struck: will first] [inserted: to the M de la Fayette] express his situation [inserted: fully] - It appears to me, that his wish to serve the American officers has involved him in [struck: great] [inserted: his present] embarrassments - I confess that I feel [struck: as] much concerne for him, and that my feelings are also [struck: from] strongly excited on account of the reputation of [struck: our] ourselves - For although as [inserted: a] Society, we [4] [struck: can exonerate ourselves in a degree] [inserted: are responsible only in a degree], yet [struck: as the] [inserted: some] individuals who [struck: compose] [inserted: belong to] the society have, by their neglect, in some instances, and nonpayment in others, reduced, not only Major LEnfant, but the whole society to a situation rather disagreeable [struck: affair, as the whole] [inserted: as by an indelicate imputation the whole] may [be] [struck: affected] [inserted: suffer] by the conduct of a part - Although I have not the shadow of a fund for the purpose I have offered to Major LEnfant to pay [struck: him] the sum due from the General Society - [struck: although,] [inserted: [struck: and] I should depend on Subscriptions to replace it to me] But he says, that having entered into a contract with the artist Mr Francastle for [they] payment of the interest, and having made arrangements for that purpose that he had much rather that the whole should [struck: lie] [inserted: rest as it is] untill the [struck: next] General Meeting to be held in May next - That he finds [line strikeout] his [sum is] committed, and [struck: then] being consci[text loss] of having acted from pure motives he wishes to have an examination into the affair, and if [struck: found to] he has acted right [struck: he] [strikeout] that he [5] he may have the sense of the Society expressed thereon - [struck: I [shall] Major L Enfant][inserted: He] says he shall write fully to the Marquis de la Fayette by the packet which will sail tomorrow [inserted: which will explain everything to [the [inserted and struck: Mr la Fayett] - [inserted and struck: which will place the matter [in it for] [strikeout] [strikeout I shall write also, and inform the Marquis that [struck: the] [inserted: there is a] sum due Major LEnfant of 630 Dollars for the General Society - That if it shall appear to him on reflection or [conception] that] [inserted: But [stuck: that if] if in his opinion] the Society is in any degree likely to be injured by the arrangement Major L Enfant has made, [struck: That he] [inserted: request him to] pays the said six hundred 30 dollars to Mr Francastle, [inserted: with the interest [ensuing] thereon] and, [struck: draw] [strikeout] inform me of the same & - That I will [reimburse] him the money [myself] - I do not know of any other measures [struck: to be] [inserted: which can be taken] taken on this subject at present - If you should be of a different opinion and will have the goodness to communicate it to me I shall be happy to conform to it - [struck: I am] [strikeout] I am persuaded that Major LEnfant [6] has conducted here prudently on the subject and although he may have incurred the expence of his residence here, on this very account [inserted: and have been obliged to appropriate the small sums of [money] he Incurrd had for the eagles, [strikeout] for the present] yet he has not [struck: I am persuaded] [strikeout] mentioned the circumstance, or at least I have not heard that he has - So far for Major LEnfant I blush my dear Sir that I have been so remiss in writing to you. But I beg you to be persuaded that an apprehension of [strikeout] obliging you to answer me when it might ill comport with your health or convenience has been the principal cause of my omission - [struck: That] I love and respect you, [struck: not] and the sentiment is deeply engraved on my heart -[struck: It will alwa] [aline] from you at your leisure will always afford me great happiness - I shall very shortly write you on our present mentioned situation as a nation - Mrs Knox unites with me in presentg our affectionate respects to Mrs Washington. and I am my dear Sir Your [struck: affe] ever affectionate friend and much obliged humble Serv H Knox General Washington [docket] To his Excellency Genl Washington, 13 June 1786 - respecting Major LEnfants transactions in france for the Society of the Cincinnati and some papers inclosed explanatory of that business