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Sir:

I am favoured with your Letter of the 9th which I will lay before the Council of State as soon as they can be convened. This however will be attended with some uncertainty as Mr. Kinchen has resigned, Mr. Iredell is absent on the Circuit, Mr. Hill is so ill that he has never been able to attend, and Genl. Armstrong has never done

me the favour to say whether he means to accept the appointment to a Seat in the Council.

You know that I can only draw with the advice of the Council for such Sums as the Assembly vote. The matter has been already fully considered & debated in the Council. They considered that I was not at liberty to draw for a greater sum than the Assembly had voted, they at the same time were sensible, that the Sum was not equaled to the Sum intended by Congress, but as long as the Assembly hold up the delusive Idea that 8s currency is equal to a dollar, it will not be in the power of the Executive to Speak a Language different from that of the Acts of Assembly which they are to carry into execution & not to amend.

Should the Council on reconsidering this business see cause to change their opinion, I will advise you of it as soon as possible.

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