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Philadelphia 18^th April 1796

Dear General,

I hope I may safely by this time salute you as Govern-
or of the State of Tenessee; or of the Territory of the united states S^o of Ohio. I
congratulate you, in either case. For, if the united States should be of opini
on that a cenus taken without their concurrence should be invalid yet
I have a strong confidence that you will be commissioned, & paid as an of
ficer of the United States: at least, your friends, how, will push it in your
favor; & I make no doubt will succeed: They have been looking for the
latter case, because it is perceivable that it is a matter of some doubt
whether for fear, of the precedent, it may not be policy in this
Government to have some share in the census. For my own part
I think it a great point for us that the Governor of our Territory
should be a man who is decidedly the choice of the people. I menti
on this thing in confidence to you as something questionable: th^o
I rather hope, [we?] expect that our Government ^of Tenessee will be allowed
to proceed on the plan established by our Convention: parti-
cularly as the Committee appointed to consider on the case, in the
House of Representatives have made a favorable report. The
Senate, have also appointed a Committee for the considera-
tion of the same subject; but the latter, I am told, will be clear
that a census in which Congress had no share ought not to
be looked upon as valid. The question will be taken up in the
course of the week, & as soon as decided shall be sent you, for
your information. I thought it an act of friendship to inform
you of the true state of the business; but as I have no certain
Grounds on which to found an opinion, I wish this loose sur-
mise to be to yourself in confidence

There