Sir:

I have the pleasure of sending you enclosed an extract of a Letter from Gen'l Gates, informing of the evacuation of Rhode Island, and an Extract of a letter from Gen'l Washington, which, you will observe, ought not to be exposed to public view. We have no better accounts from Europe than it contains. We are not a little surprised at the silence in the Southern States. Congress has received no Authentic accounts from that quarter since the Count arrived on the Coast. All the Private Letters and other scraps of Intelligence give us flattering hopes. Mr. Laurens is appointed to negotiate a Loan in Holland. A small fund in Europe might be applied so as to have a happy effect on our Finances by disposing of Bills of Exchange and otherwise.

The astonishing prices of the necessary supplies for the Army, and the low state of our funds, are very alarming and does require the most vigorous exertions of all the States. I am under an almost absolute necessity of being home before the hard of winter. I hope to see Mr. Penn and some other Gentlemen here soon. If none have set out, be so obliging as to interest yourself in that matter. Our State, as well as the others, ought by no means to be one day unrepresented. I have the mortification to inform you that Mr. Hewes is in so low a state of health that his recovery is much despaired of; his complaints are Bilious and Consumptive.