[280] Richmond May 13 1797 Dear Sir, Your letter of the [undecipherable] instant with its enclosures is received. I am so much engaged in the State business that I have not been able to devote [undecipherable] time sufficiently to form an opinion on it — as I am going [undecipherable] person with the [undecipherable] and will write to him on both when I have completed [undecipherable]. I rather think that his pay ought to be extended to June 1795. I do not well recollect who [undecipherable] referred relating to General [undecipherable]'s demands. But if I remember [undecipherable] that appeared to me that he must be charged with the 3000 Dollars he gave himself [undecipherable] to M^r. Patterson as so much of it as is unaccountable [undecipherable] — it did not appear to me clearly that he was entitled to his rations because he did not [undecipherable] actual duty & his pay [undecipherable] consideration appeared as sufficient compensation to him. [undecipherable] I considered as the equivalent to services & Rations [to] expenses in that service which he could not be at while at home — it occurs to me however that the [undecipherable] struck me that his confinement by sickness might make a difference tho' I believe it did not in his case. You must take the opinion of the Treasury & Comptroller and do as you think proper, remembering in case the allowance is made that there must be clear proof that he drew [281] in administering the loan — your letter of [the] 19^th [undecipherable] — I recommend [undecipherable] the duplicates to [undecipherable] Huntington [undecipherable] papers as a proper arrangement. his case I suppose must be referred to Congress — I wish you to lay the copy of M. Neville's [undecipherable] letter before the Board of Treasury and request information from the Board if they have heard of [undecipherable] Huntington [undecipherable] where he is — in the mean time, I am more but a little more than a hundred miles from the place where he acted as Quarter master. I shall endeavor to find him out. I want from you copies of his receipts to the [undecipherable] and of M^r. [undecipherable] attested account current with him — you will find them in my letter to M^r. Neville — or to the Board of Treasury when I first informed them of this money — it is uncertain when my business here will be closed, my compliments to M^r. [undecipherable] Since writing the above I imagine that I have got a clue to find out where the man is who has in his hands the Public money [undecipherable] which was left with Alexander. I wish you therefore to advise with the Board, and obtain such legal authority as will enable me to prosecute Alexander in case I find it necessary