Phil^a. [strikethrough: April] — May 7 1784 Sir I beg your attention to the letter from M^r Henry, which your Excellency put into my hands yesterday. I am unhappy that the present opinion of a member of Congress is not a sufficient authority by which my conduct can be supported. — Congress by their Resolutions of January the 8 & July [undecipherable] 1783 have directed me to allow no claims which may be brought for half pay or commutation by any officer or any class or denomination of Officers to whom it has not been theretofore been reported by promises" — Your Excellency will perceive by the resolutions of Congress, that there is no general provision for the half pay to the Army, but what limits its extension to those [undecipherable] who shall at the same time only continue in the service to the end of the war, and that the Resolutions under which half pay related has made no provision of this nature. I am sensible of the justice of M^r Henry's case, that the same principles which granted it to those Officers who related under the resolution of Oct 1780 ought to extend to be much more to those who continue in our service a year longer, and which, will undoubtedly, on [the] floor Congress (when it shall be laid before them) do not one to allow it, but [undecipherable: warranted] in my conduct by the above mentioned [undecipherable: notice], & as I cannot find that [undecipherable] pay comes under any promises of Congress, I am truly sorry