[The first page of this document is illegible per archival notation.] [Docket: To Jn. Williamson Esq. / July 20. 1794 / Recd. / Cond.] [the Letter N] West Point July 20. 1794 Sir, Since I did myself the Honor to address to you the enclosed a few days since, I have written a letter to Congress, containing my views for some instructions how to enforce the several resolutions of theirs mentioned therein; I have your sentiments already on the first point, but the cases are so extensive & the persons who claim under them so determined, that I am obliged to resort to the [Congress]— [portion of text obscured by microfilm damage] if there is no impropriety in the letter I am to thank you for to present it to the [President] not or introduce the subjects of it in some other way as you may think proper to obtain the sense of Congress upon them I am with great respect, Sir Your Obedient Servant [undecipherable signature] To Jn. Williamson Esquire [Enclosure/s found with this document] [undecipherable] ...do myself the Honor... Excellency... those [matters] as have [arisen] often in this [case]... [undecipherable]... this is [liable] of [number] & persons I may not appear and improper to [state] this reason which has [undecipherable] my conduct, and I request that Congress will be pleased to honor me with [already] and [lenient] [considerations] — The first [troops] who held these appointments [were] as consequence of [a] the commander of [armies] — public claims I have [suspended] — because the [Boards] as all these resolutions have carefully granted against extending the half pay to the [others] who were not duly appointed [military] and [payments] I ought to [undecipherable] not as much [try] their [claims] [by these] [terms] what has always been the views of Congress in the same case — that it would be unequal in [many] who [are officers] to have been in their office only for a few months, while others who preceded them have served much longer; they [often] and [truly] your [sound] also [Congress] in this [final], but only [temporarily] and that if this is [admitted] many duly officers must be midst any [undecipherable] statement, with great justice [exposed] their own claims against it or as precedent. [Pleased no.] [are we] [undecipherable] having made [Promises] in our [lists] were [charged] while we regularly and [undecipherable] and a resolve of Nov^r 30. 1778 having granted to such as wished to be [again] [enrolled] into [the army] the [possibility] of [procuring] [their] [concerning] themselves to New [Authority] of these claims, [and] [receiving] half pay until they were called into their service — many of them have produced to our [proper] evidence of their [complying] with the terms of the [resolves], and that they were [undecipherable] called to [satisfy] violations in [the same], not [some] of this [undecipherable] away from the [time] of their respective [themselves] have waited this year and at this [moment] — make the communication of [fine] [pay] in full [way] — they first [demanded] I have [but able] to comply [ing] with [and] the second to lately [replied] it appears to me that they [are] only [entitled] to a [future] because, (it is reasonable), as all the officers who have [relied] [in] their [own] [cause], or at least [accuse] to a greater [claim] that the same [pay] should be the only [policy] of the [undecipherable]... [margin: 2894] [Addled?] Lieutenant: But the officers by the resolve of December 31 this having no fact for it — because this resolve has not promised it, and the resolutions on which the half pay and the resolutions are founded have granted it to them only (on not in some particular circumstances) who are [times] in the end of this war — because [undecipherable] — it was intended to the [undecipherable], unless there was a chance of not [going] — [margin: 2894]