and some of them being for the expences of other Persons, & the whole unsupported by Particular Vouchers for the Payment of the Money. I am induced to Suppose that they are not admissible agreeable to the Resolution of Congress of a day of September 1778 the only one granting an Allowance of Personal expences beyond the usual Forage & Rations, to Officers in Command not incidentate to their duty. The Acc^t N^o 2 Appears to me to be liable to the preceding Objections, and therefore will require the Approbation of Congress to its being passed. I have very reason to believe that M^r McLane is an honest man, and that he would not exhibit an Account which would require the Public to be admitted; but I am bound by general Rules, which, if Violated in any Instance, would be a precedent to others, & by that means give an Opportunity to more designing & less honest Persons to impose upon the United States. Honorable M^r Lee — I am, JP Report. Office of Army Accounts, [this report note: see folio 111] New York Sept^r 7. 1786 The Commissioner for Settling the Army Accounts, Begs Leave to Report, on the Petition of James Gregg Late a Captain in the Service, praying Liberty to return other Securities into the hands of the United States. States, than those which he received for his Commutation, in order that he may be placed on the Invalid Establishment; That the 5^th Clause of the Act of June 5. 1785, has provided that no Officer who has accepted his Commutation for half pay shall be entered on the list of Invalids, unless he shall have first returned his Commutation; and that another Act of the 3^d day of June 1784 has directed "that Specie Certificates issued to any Person in his own Name for Services or Supplies which he has furnished for the United States shall be received of him in Payment of any demand which the United States have against him upon the Settlement of his Accounts;" which two Resolutions are the only ones as far as your Commissioner has been informed, that admit of the return of any Certificates. The former appears to Confine the Same to the Commutation itself, and the latter to Certificates issued in the name of the Person. That your Commissioner Conceives he has not Sufficient information of the Principles on which these resolves are founded, and of the Consequences which may follow by a departure from them, he therefore humbly Submits that the question may be referred to the Commissioners of the Treasury. Charles Thomson Sec^y of Congress JP