and all agree upon one point - viz that our army cannot afford that our ladies lay down their needles and fold their hands if their ^labours are not needed just - today they may be tomorrow, - and sometime they are needed today - and again all agree in advising that what is sent be gotten as nearly direct as possible from the hands of the donors to the very spot for which it is designed - not to pass through too general distribution , strengthening their advice by many reasons & circumstances which I do not feel at liberty to lay before you. no one can fail to perceive that a house of general receipts & distribution of stores of all description for the whole U.S. must be a mammoth concern - abounding in confusion - which always involves loss & destruction of property. I am confident that this idea cannot be incorrect - and therefore I will not hesitate to claim it upon my own responsibility - viz that every State should have in the vicinity of her great body of troops a ^depot of her own where all her contributions should be sent - and disposed of by her own soldiers need it all to them, if

Washington

then let her share generously and intelligently with those who do, but know what she has and what she gives - we shall never have any other precise method of discovering the real wants of our soldiers, when the store house of any State should be found empty - it would be safe to conclude that her troops are in ^need want. then let the full governors send the ^required assistance - this would systematize the whole business matter, and do away with all necessary confusion, doubt and uncertainty - it would preclude all possibility of loss, as it would be the ^ever business of the ^look house to see to its own ^properly goods. There is some truth in the old maxim that 'what is everybody's business' is no one's business. I believe that as long ago as the early settlement of our country it was found that the plan