deranged on the first of that year. but he says Col Farrington knows he was in duty in South Carolina to the end of the War, If Col Farrington will give him a Certificate to that Purport he ought to be paid, and I wish you in that case to report the Specie that will be then due to Him I am with great Sincerity Your friend Jno Pierce [M^r Howell] New York June 2^d 1787 Dear Sir I received your letter dated 30.^th May Ulto and am excessive unhappy on your account — The fatigues you undergo and the burthen of anxiety on your mind I am sensible must almost overcome you — I have finished Major Fenners business and the warrants are granted for the Specie due the Officers for Subsistance I signed the returns in behalf of the Paymaster General and General Knox has in his warrant for the money I particularized this circumstance, so that if any thing should be wrong (which altho I am clear is not the case yet it is possible) the blame will lay on me I have also filled up the Certificates myself which I mentioned to you in my last — there are only two of them One for Major Fenners balance of pay for 1783 the other for a stoppage made from Major John Nelson of N. Carolina this procedure has not been strictly conformable to the rules of our Office however it was unavoidable & the nature of circumstances I hope will justify it — I have had no applications as yet for the pay of Willetts Regiment — do be particular in your next with respect to communicating with M^r Pierce I have made out copies of the receipts mentioned in my last against Major Eccleston. and wish to know whether I shall send them to you or him — indeed I cannot with propriety correspond with M^r Pierce untill he is informed of your absence — in which case if you think it will be much longer you can judge for yourself — if you can possibly write I should think that a line from you to the Board would be satisfactory to them — I only suggest this and with all submission leave you to judge of it also — M^r Lord Bedle from Wyoming as attorney for sundry men of Cap.^t Franklins pay has applied for their pay I have put him off untill you come — I have communicated the Contents of your letter of the 30.^th May to your friends agreeably to your Request — they are all well — I am D^r Sir Yours Sincerely C Swan [Joseph Howell J^r Esquire] Philadelphia June 3^d 1787 Dear Sir Your favor of the 30^th Ulto with a Copy of M^r Pierces letter was received yesterday — I am glad to hear Major Fennus business is so near completed and as I cannot possibly attend in time request you to fill up the certificates for him — as it will not be attended with any material disadvantage to the Office or to him — I had wrote to M^r Osgood relative to his business and referred him to you for every information which I was confident could be given equally as well as if I were present — the business relative to M^r [undecipherable] I am also happy to hear is in a proper train and with that may be forwarded as also Major Ecclestons Receipt to M^r Pierce as soon as possible. you need not forward them to me as your certificate will be equally as good — when you write to M^r Pierce you will please to mention that my present situation indeed