[May 25^th 1796 Report on N. Fullers petition addressed the Sec. of Congress filed] The Commissioners for settling the Accounts of the Army to whom was referred the Petition of Nathan Fuller, praying that a certain act of Congress made the [undecipherable] day of January 1793, by which a bounties [undecipherable] particular period the further allowances of the rations for back rations due to the Army pursuant to the last day of December [undecipherable], may be adopted in his case, beg leave to report. That the Petitioner alleges, That Col. Alden who commanded the Regiment to which he belonged, was unable, by reason of refusal to pay any attention to his old account of the regiment [undecipherable] at the time that [undecipherable] became due. That soon after which he was there in Battle — [undecipherable] was and [undecipherable] very lately it was unknown to the Petitioner, that the [undecipherable] in what papers had been preserved, or that the money for the dues of the regiment had not been drawn, and lost at the death of the Colonel; and therefore that peculiar circumstances [undecipherable] rendered it very difficult that they should be brought [undecipherable] against those responsible for [undecipherable] and confusion. Your Commissioners having all weighed these allegations, is nevertheless of opinion, that they are insufficient to [undecipherable] the operation of this act of Congress, and humbly submits, [the?] following reasons. 1^st That the accounting [pay out?] of [sufficient?] or back actions prior to [June?] 1793 was considered in such a manner that great confusion had then arisen, which proved to be often the cause, of the admission of improper accounts, [undecipherable] countless, the [undecipherable] in which 2^d — This bearing in a greater absurdity, your Commissioners therefore presumed that the act now in consideration, ought to be considered as - binding in equity in almost every case that can occur. 3^d That if it was the duty of the late Commissioner there [undecipherable] it appears [undecipherable] being let known about it in March 1793 when he called for and about the pay of the regiment for the same times that their accounts were [undecipherable] effected to Commissioners. but as far as [undecipherable] be possessed of the manner in which the regiment thus accrued returns it appears that this was considered as the [undecipherable] master and not the Colonel's duty — that side orders or orders of the Colonel, and especially impart that [undecipherable] of the Quarter-master and the [undecipherable] and especially attentive was bound by the Colonel and [undecipherable] their owning for the Colonel to give [undecipherable] [undecipherable] or assistance. 3^d That the information that the Register was [undecipherable] appears to prove either the Petitioner and the Officers did not consider themselves sufficiently interested, or were there not at issue to make the [undecipherable] for them — for by the [undecipherable] to the Colonel's papers, this conclusion was [undecipherable] might be well [undecipherable] obtained at this [undecipherable] at the present times, and therefore it was [undecipherable] that had prevented themselves from sooner [undecipherable] application. 4^th That the bounties themselves were probably [undecipherable] at the time, they being only founded on the earliest [undecipherable] attestation of the Quarter-master whereas the entitled [undecipherable] of Army [undecipherable] this Commissioners may be [undecipherable] returns [undecipherable] for the whole rations due the regiment [undecipherable] draw a new Bill for them as titles which was not noticed. the new Bill the Commissioners either paid, or it was later [undecipherable] declared by the public, and the amount [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of this [undecipherable] this [undecipherable] Attestation [undecipherable] paid [undecipherable] was brought to for [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] rations, and it was impossible that loans and [undecipherable] many persons at their [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] and an allowable [undecipherable] — which[undecipherable] [undecipherable] is inconsiderable to leave [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] accrues the pay [undecipherable] of their [undecipherable] action [undecipherable] by the admission of their claims. 5^th That it [undecipherable] this [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] for their applications of the many [undecipherable]. The one [undecipherable] appearing on the Quarter-master to be accounts to have [undecipherable], and respectably is [undecipherable] by [undecipherable] accounts — and that the temptation is the greater in that [undecipherable] many are inclined too to be [undecipherable] sufficient to ascertain in this case those to the individual, or indeed the [undecipherable] of the Persons to whom the money is about to be paid. when [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] especially at the time of [undecipherable] came to whom the money of [undecipherable] the officials for the accounts must be believed to [undecipherable] in his account, and it will depend on him to render such satisfaction to the [undecipherable] as his plea shows.) N. [undecipherable] Lensly submits — [Office of Army Accounts N. York, May 25^th 1796]