Sir New York September 19^th 1787 Joseph Clay Esq^r who acted as Deputy Paymaster to the Southern Army, had a Sum of Money Directed to him by one, in the year 1781. Consisting of the New Emissions emitted by the Legislatures under the Act of Congress of March 18. 1780 which the [undecipherable] to whom I entrusted this business, received from the States of Maryland & Virginia and delivered on the the 27 July 1781. into the hands of M^r William Alexander. To deliver to M^r Clay, who was not present to receive it, as will appear by the Copies N^o 1 2 3 On the 3^d of August following, M^r Clay came to the Place where this money was deposited and received the same into his hands and for which he acknowledges himself answerable as appears by the Enclosed Copy N^o 4. and also by his Account Current. In a May 1785 when I was in Savannah, he [undecipherable] into my hands his Account and Vouchers for Settlement, among which was included the Attested Paper N^o 5. in which he has supposed that this money never came into his hands, and that he is accountable only for the Part he has Attested that he has received But on the examination of his Accounts before the Comptroller of the Treasury, it has been determined, that M^r Clay is Answerable for the whole Sum to the United States, because of his above mentioned Acknowledgements, and because he was the Confidential Officer of Congress to whom it was directed, and by whom it was received and that it was his duty and no other Person to have seen its Safety. It was however the wish of the Treasury Board not to have Called on M^r Clay, but having made diligent search to find M^r Alexander, he has not been heard of, and M^r Clay having informed me that the money had fallen into his hands of W.S. [undecipherable] unless he was also searched after and in having [undecipherable] he has not produced the money, but on the Contrary there is strong reason [undecipherable] that he has lately [disposed] of it to his own Advantage. the Board therefore discouraged by [undecipherable] thinks proper to Call on that Officer whose Appointment & Obligation has made him responsible to the Public for the Same. and have therefore Authorized and directed me to take the most efficient Steps to recover from M^r Clay, by a legal process, the balance he has Left in M^r Alexanders hands Amounting to 1879 [undecipherable] Six hundred Dollars, which is now to [undecipherable] together with the Interest on the Same as 5^th [per cent] since the date of its emission which must have been prior to [undecipherable] 1781. My reason therefore in Writing to you is by the express directions of the Board to employ you as an Attorney to Collect this money from M^r Clay in the most direct and Effectual manner as the Public Interest must not be injured any further, by a delay. When it is necessary the Originals of the Papers now Enclosed to as you may want, shall be forwarded for the Support of any Action that you shall Commence on that business, your fees and such expenses as you shall be put to in this business I will see you repaid; if M^r Clay should recover any Part of this money from the Person to whom he [undecipherable] it and return it to you. [undecipherable] Operate as far as it goes as a discharge on his [account] provided that it is the same [emission] he received & the Interest [undecipherable] must bear Nath^s Pendleton Esq^r Georgia