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TO DON FRANCISCO RENDON.[22]

Philadelphia, March 6th, 1782.

Sir,

I will with pleasure give you such information on the subjects you
write upon, as I can with propriety mention to a gentleman of whose
attachment I entertain no doubt, but who has, nevertheless, given me
no reason to think, that his inquiries have any farther object than
his personal satisfaction.

1. In answer to the first question, I can only inform you, that
Congress have voted thirtysix thousand infantry, which, with the
cavalry and artillery, will amount to about forty thousand men. It is
not probable, however, that the whole of this number will be raised; I
think it would be prudent to make a deduction of about one fourth. But
you have been too long in this country to form any judgment of the
strength of our army from the regular establishment, since it has
been, and always will be increased (more particularly in the Northern
States) by large bodies of militia, when their apprehensions, or the
hope of splendid advantages shall call them forth. Of this, the events
of the year 1777, among others, afford the most striking evidence.

2. It is not expected, that in the present situation of the country,
the whole sum of eight millions of dollars can be raised in time. What
the deficiency will be, must depend on the motions and strength of our
enemy early the next spring; the success of our commerce; the
remittances that shall be made to this country by our allies, which,
being expended here, may, by frequent taxes, be brought into the
public treasury, and repeatedly applied to public use.

3. The resources of the next campaign lay in taxation, in the
strictest economy, and in the assistance which we may reasonably hope
to receive from the enemies of Great Britain, while we are making
every exertion in the common cause. We flatter ourselves, that those
powers who wish for peace, and who see America as the great object in
Britain, in carrying on the war, will not suffer it to be lengthened
out beyond the present year, when, by a moderate supply to us, they
can terminate it in the course of one campaign. We form some
expectations from the wisdom and generosity of Spain; and as we know
she has the means, so we cannot suppose she can want the inclination
to promote her own interests, and insure the esteem and gratitude of a
rising nation, whose