Very interesting letter by a little-known supply officer, who was in the forefront of a short-lived movement among a number of officers to install a monarchial-style government in preference to democracy. Nicola was to write to Washington on May 22, two weeks after this letter was sent, complaining of the state of the army and the lack of compensation by the congress, and extolling the virutues of a monarchy in preference to the democratic forms of government then in favor by the recently victorious America patriots. He submitting Washington as an ideal candidate for ruler. Washington was vehement in his famous reply, and while he sympathized with the problems of supply and compensation, he rejected any suggestion of himself as king, concluding: "...if you have any regard for your Country, concern for yourself or posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your Mind, and never communicate, as from yourself, or any one else, a sentiment of the like Nature." In the present letter, Nicola writes that "Cols. Trumbull & Humphries were with me from his Excelcy. to know what was done in the matter on which I was deputed to him... Mr. Sandy's has condescended here so far as to allow the officers to make a return separate from the men, but the whole of such return must be weighed at once... I think we ought, for our own credit, to pursue the business with spirit, but as assembling all the field officers, who are so disposed, on every occasion must be attended with delay & inconvenience, I beg leave to propose that a committee be appointed..."