[the Commissioner for the Quarter Master Generals department being not included in any powers which are vested [undecipherable] in the Settlement of Army Accounts Sam. H[undecipherable]] John Hopkins Esq^r New York August 26 1786 Sir You will Oblige me if you will cause three Blanks to be procured from Windsor and sent to me here, any expences you are at I will see refunded Sam. H[undecipherable] Oliver Wolcott Esq^r Report New York Septem: 14, 1786 The Commissioners for Settling the Army Accounts, to whom was referred the Petition of James Gregg late a Captain in the New York line, praying Liberty to return Other Securities into the hands of the Commissioner, than those which he received for his Commutation in order to place him on the Invalid Establishment, begs Leave to report. That the 5^th Clause of the Act of June 3^d 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 June 1784, has directed that Specie Certificates issued to any person in his own Name for Services or Supplies which he has furnished the United States shall be received of him in Payment of any demands 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 may perhaps be intended to Confine the Same to the Commutation itself, and the latter to Certificates in the name of the person. Your Commissioner is however of Opinion that, these resolutions may reasonably be dispensed with me in the Case of the Invalid Officers, and that they be Permitted to return the amount of their Commutation in other Securities of the United States where they have parted with their own; Provided the Same shall be of Equal Amount, bearing the Same Interest, and Offered to Officers belonging to the Same State with themselves which he humbly Submits for the following reasons. That the Securities of the United States being of Equal value to the Public, the Consequence is the Same to the Union whether they were Issued Originally to the Invalid Officer or to any other, that this Officer being Confined to the Securities Issued to Citizens of his State will thereby be Prevented from Taking advantage of the different prices of Securities and the Operations will be the Same with the State as if he had returned his own, tho any future event makes such a distinction necessary. That at the time the Army was disbanded there were different and distinct resolutions existing at the same time, one of which promised a Pension to the wounded Invalids and the other half pay for life to the Army on general under which many Officers had a right, as they supposed to Claim both the Commutation and Pension who Accordingly received and disposed of the Commutation but as the Resolution of June 7. 1785, has declared the Intention of Congress in this respect, and given the Officers any Opportunity to make their election of the Commutation or Pension, they must now most of them be deprived of the means of making this Choice unless the proposed license is permitted. That the real Value of the Securities of the United States, which have been paid to the Army in discharge of their Commutation is in competent to the Maintenance of the Officers, those therefore who are by reason of their wounds real Objects for the Public Attention, cannot reasonably be denied the privilege of resigning the Value they have received for their Commutation and receiving in its Stead a real Maintenance, which the promises of Congress have ever held out, and which is consistent with the principles of Justice and the Usage of Nations. Charles Thomson [signature] Sec^y of Congress