New-York [date undecipherable] The Commissioner [undecipherable] [undecipherable] late captains in the [Pennsylvania?] Artificers, beg leave to report— 1^st That there are [undecipherable] [reasons?] on which the [petitioners?] [undecipherable] commutation in lieu of [half pay?] [undecipherable] [if a?] grant should [undecipherable] to adopt a new principle [respecting?] [undecipherable] captains. The Principle on which Cap[tains?] [ground?] their claim for Commutation 1^st That Congress have [considered?] [undecipherable] the establishment of the army, and [undecipherable] of the [United?] States. 2^d That on the 11^th of February [undecipherable] them the [same?] pay, clothing and [bounty?] [undecipherable] on the 9^th of February 1780, was directed [undecipherable] and treated in the same manner [undecipherable] lines. 3^d That on the 3^d October [undecipherable] to be formed with [undecipherable] for seven years, and on the 21 of the [undecipherable] extended the half pay for life to the [undecipherable] and those who continued in service to the end of the [undecipherable] of the former [Resolutions?] included the corps in [undecipherable] it may be supposed it was intended to be comprehended [undecipherable] that [they?] have been obliged to receive for their [undecipherable] the same kind of [certificates?] with the military officers [undecipherable] therefore to their disadvantages, it is no more [undecipherable] that they should also have their privileges— [undecipherable] necessary to premise that it appears to be the [undecipherable] to retain the allowance of Commutations [undecipherable] and of course where the [clear intention?] [undecipherable] is to be discovered in its words, the grant [undecipherable] made by implication — The Commissioner [undecipherable] has founded his opinion on the following [undecipherable] reasons, humbly submits the same to the [undecipherable] of Congress— [undecipherable] by the Governments of the States [undecipherable] to determine the numbers of men which were to [be?] [undecipherable] by each [undecipherable] and to give their officers and men [undecipherable] from the lines does not immediately from the States [undecipherable] to be construed to extend to any [demands?] the military [undecipherable] may be [of any denomination?]. [undecipherable] of 1778 and [February?] 9^th 1780 [undecipherable] ought not to extend to the allowance [undecipherable] Benefits or emoluments, appear [reasonable?] [undecipherable] the usual pay, subsistence, forage, and [undecipherable] only; more especially as at the time of [passing?] [undecipherable] the grant of half pay for life was not in [existence?] [undecipherable] the last mentioned [resolution?] [undecipherable] undoubtedly refers to the [special?] exception [undecipherable] November 16, 1779. — 3^d That the resolve of October 3, 1780 [undecipherable] seven years half pay to the officers [then?] [undecipherable] never been put into execution in [undecipherable] there can arise no question whe[ther] [undecipherable] Should be construed as comprehend[ing?] [undecipherable] very doubtful, as Congress in this [resolution?] [undecipherable] they confined it to military officers only, [undecipherable] Commissions to the artificers for the [sole?] [purpose?] [undecipherable] in their own corps, and to hold [undecipherable] mentioned [undecipherable] have also expressly in a [resolution?] [undecipherable] corps to their [duties?], exception [undecipherable] and when Colonel [Baldwin's?] Corps was [undecipherable] the officers retired without a [promise of?] [undecipherable] have been Necessary to have entitled even [them?] [undecipherable] but an allowance; it therefore appears [undecipherable] intention of Congress, through this [undecipherable] after October 1780 to exclude [those?] [undecipherable] m thus a sufficient foundation [undecipherable] of this promise, to conclude that the [undecipherable] "the officers" in the act of October 21, 1780 [undecipherable] to the military only. — 4. Whether it may be proper and reasonable to [undecipherable] them [undecipherable] to the [difference?] in consideration [undecipherable] the securities of [the military claims?] [undecipherable] be just in Consideration, that they are not [undecipherable] to the Commutation, to pay them for the years 1782 [undecipherable] are questions that the Commissioner [Report of the Commissioner of [undecipherable] on the petition of Colonel Baldwin's Corps and the Artificers [undecipherable] 1785?]