Office of Secretary of Congress July 20^th 1786 Sir On the 9^th of June last I had the honor of transmitting an Act passed by Congress the [undecipherable] that month recommending to the several States to make provision in a manner pointed out in the Act for Officers, Soldiers & Seamen who have been disabled in the Service of the United States. As I take it for granted that the Legislature of your State has complied with this recommendation I have to request the favor of Your Excellency to [undecipherable] a copy of the Law passed on the occasion. As it is necessary that the United States in Congress assembled should be informed of the sum which this provision will yearly add to the expences of the Union in order that they may include it in their annual requisition I have further to request that Your Excellency would be pleased to order a return to be made to me of the number provided for and the amount of the annual allowance made them that I may make a full Report thereof to Congress — Should it be the case that your State has not yet made the provision recommended I trust Your Excellency will take the earliest opportunity of submitting this matter to the consideration of the Legislature [?] for the purpose I enclose a copy of the Act pass[ed] With the greatest respect Your Excellency's Most Ob^t & Most humb^le Serv^t Cha. Thomson [Verso marginalia, undecipherable] [Address:] His Excellency The Governor of Rhode Island