Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to George Washington

[draft]
New York 22 Novr 1785
My dear Sir
I have been often on the point of acknowledging your kind favor of the 18th of June, and have as often deferred from the expectation of having the pleasure of [strikeout] visiting you at Mount Vernon on my way to James River at which place there is a quantity of public stores - [struck: But] having been hitherto disapointed [struck: and] I shall no longer trust to the chapter of [strikeout] accidents but [struck: by] [inserted: shall embrace] so good an opportunity as [inserted: that which presents itself by] Major Farlie.
I render you my sincere thanks for your kind opinion of the disposition of the troops on the Ohio - We have been able only to recruit six [struck: few] companies out of the ten that was intended - Three of them are now on their march for Fort Mc Intosh [struck: where] & Pitt [struck: at which post] [inserted: where] we shall be under the necessity of posting them for [2] the winter - One company has gone with the Commission who are to hold the treaty with the Indians at the great Miami, and two companies [struck: are] have taken post at the mouth of the Muskingham [sic] - The remaining four companies will I hope be raised and marched early in the Spring -
The Indians generally have discovered a restlessness and discontent [struck: some] with the treaties which they made at Fort Schuyler & McIntosh the last year - They were then told that Great Britain had ceded to the United States the posts now in the occupancy of the British troops [struck: and a certain tract of territory] all of which would soon be relinquished - But they experience the contrary and [struck: the Emissaries perhaps of] [inserted: British or refugees] Emissaries are continually embittering their minds against us by urging that we deceived them, and [illegible] as a strong proof of our deception that the british government still retains the posts [strikeout] something may depend [3] depend on the treaty now holding at the Miami to quiet [strikeout] the Indians but that circumstance cannot fully take place untill the british shall evacuate the posts on the Lakes - But there is no prospect of the british conciliating us by such a measure [This] said [struck: that] and credited that Sir Guy Carleton is coming out [inserted: with troops] to Canada [struck: with] [inserted: next spring] in the capacity of vice Roy [struck: and with troops] - perhaps this measure may [struck: d] compel us to take those steps upon which our safety [struck: depends] and dignity as a nation [strikeout] [inserted: may] depend -
[struck paragraph: The new Congress have not yet convened there as sufficient a competent number of members not having arrived - ]
Major Farlie will give you a detail of the proceedings of the New York Society with respect to the reception of the [alterations] proposed and recommended by the General Society on the 12th of [struck: April] [inserted: May] - I flatter myself it is the intention of this Society to receive the new institution, that is all the essential parts thereof - I am uncertain how many of the state Societies have adopted it all [illegible] but New Hampshire have rejected them as they respect the funds - Connecticut I have been informed have not received them - I am apprehensive [4] it may be as difficult to get the respective state Society to adopt the measure, as the state assembly to adopt the recommendations of Congress -
I am exceedingly mortified and chagrined that the person who I directed, and to whom I have written five times to upon the subject has not yet sent the Limestone to Boston although I [struck: told] [inserted: authorized] him to do it at my expence - at Boston I had made arrangements with a Gentleman to forward it [strikeout] some vessel to Alexandria I have sent repeated proofs of his inattention [inserted: to my requests] that I am unable to place any further dependence on them -
Mrs Knox unites with me in presenting our affectionate complements to Mrs Washington and wishes [illegible] & you [strikeout] health and happiness [struck: Mrs Knox also requests your acceptance of her illegible felicity - ]
I am my dear sir
With [strikeout] perfect respect, and
Warm affection
[struck: your sincere] Your very humble
Servant
HKnox
His Excellency
Genl Washington