Annapolis March 7. 1785 Dear Sir At M^r Hamiltons request I beg you will inform me if any thing is done in Congress for the agents, & likewise the allowance given by your state to Major Bowen & Cap^t Beatty — As we hope the period not distant when he will begin to issue. He wishes to obtain every information that may help towards the Execution of his Duty, in a way least liable to error & Consonant to the measures of the Northern Agent. He therefore desires to know in what manner the Pennsylvania Agents acted respecting the Identity of Persons applying for Certificates, as it is not probable they could have a personal Knowledge of each Individual of the Line; My opinion on that head leads me to think an Agent can be governed by the Papers only which may be presented, & that he will be justified in Delivering the Certificates to the holder of the Discharges if (when not in the hands of the Original Proprietor) they are accompanied with a proper Transfer — If you can advise any thing on this head please to communicate it — By an advertisement in the Philad^a papers it is likewise observed that the Agents endorse the Certificates in Pennsylvania — From whence does this originate, or rather is it necessary for Cap^t Hamilton to do the same — Foreseeing the necessity of Papers when I should take up the Officers Accounts, I wrote you last summer desiring to be furnished with the settlements made by individuals at the Treasury — The subject I presume among the multiplicity of businesses in which you are engaged has escap'd your Notice, but they are now become immediately an object and I wish you would be so kind as to have them assorted & forwarded as soon as possible — I have been obliged to evade several applications from the want of these papers, as I found Monies were credited the United States, in some instances of which I have no knowledge; & which I could not account for on any other Line but the Treasurers Books — The army Accounts is of so extensive & complicated a nature, that Difficulties may reasonably be expected, even in the most eligible situation, but much more so when a settlement is to take place remote from the original Books & papers from which no abstracts that can be made appears sufficient to elucidate many occurrencies — If you think me troublesome & making superfluous requisitions, however (as before) I assure you that I have made it a point to ask for nothing, which did not appear essential; & for a neglect of which I should expect to be accountable to the public for consequences that might ensue — In Consequence of my having the old Musters with me, M^r Richmond has been enabled to detect a great number of impositions practised on this State in the settlement of Depreciation Accounts, & which gives me an Opportunity to do Justice to the United States by deducting it from the Arrears due those individuals in the present settlement — The same principle renders the Musters of the four Maryland Companies of the German Regim[ent] necessary, as the Auditor proposes to request a suspension of the Payment of these Certificates at the Treasury, until by the help of the above mentioned Musters he can ascertain their Validity — I have therefore to request you will be so kind as to send them forward. Jos Howell Jun^r Jn^o. White A Com^r.