Hartford December 10^th 1788. Dear Sir, While on a journey to Connecticut on a visit to my friends I yesterday received your letter acquainting me that you had seen a resolution of Congress admitting the time of bringing in Claims into my Office, from which you suppose that it may be reasonable to extend your time for receiving the Claims of the Line of Virginia — this resolution is founded on a supposition that all the Offices had closed in the States and that the remaining claims are only to be submitted in my office — I cannot suppose that a further continuance of your Office will be found, but should any Claim come in while you are making out the stating of your accounts — I presume your — tion to their adjustment will not only be an act of friendshis and generosity but will be excused by the most rigid — I wish you however to make out and forward your accounts as early as possible — my principal reason to be urgent is to finish the business of my Office that I may be ready to have it by the first of August, and to be possessed of your registers that the attending may not be retarded — I suppose you have received my letter written — and the names of such Officers as I wanted further information respecting their pay — I have not presented this return for want of the necessary information and have no doubt but the money will be eventually obtained — If the Officers consent to give up the claim I shall then issue my Certificates but until they do I look on myself as under obligations to consider them as entitled to the money and am determined to do my utmost endeavours to obtain it — [undecipherable: As haste as the Post is waiting] a circle of Gentlemen in my company I have not time, nor am I in a situation to write you more fully — I am D^r Sir Your H^bl Ser^t J. Pierce [seal]