[From [undecipherable] [Henry?] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Decm 30 1784 (Copy)] Richmond in Virginia, Decm 30^th 1784 Sir In answer to your Letter of the 12^th Instant, I must inform that during the last session I wrote to Congress on the subject of the Agents, and that I have written again to the present Congress — the result of these letters you can inform yourself of at Trenton, or in case they are not acted on, can if you please interest some of the members to have it done — The suggestion you throw out that you wish first to have some assurance of compensation for your services, previous to delivering up your securities, appears to me improper, because it looks too much like a threat, and would injure the business in Congress, and because these securities are the property of individuals, and not of the public and it would be unjust to detain the property of [strikethrough: individuals] for a public debt — when you consider the subject more fully I am convinced as you are an honest man, that you will close the account agreeably to your [undecipherable], when you receive the certificates — M^r Jos Nourse in Philadelphia is sufficiently authorized to make the settlement with you. [M Jos [undecipherable]]