[Mr Oliver's health — I am extremely anxious to hear from — accounts of him. am Sir &c Jeph. Elawel Esq. Jno. Hopkins] Portland Casco Bay July 19^th 1799 Sir I have now an Opportunity [by] Squire Fletcher a Member of Congress to write you on the following subject which I hope to be favored with your answer by the return of the same Gentleman unless you have a good opportunity before one. I would be glad to be informed if there is an absolute Necessity of any coming to your Office at New York in Philadelphia to make a settlement for the last three Months payment in Specie received for the Officers and Soldiers of the late E. Massachusetts Regiment commanded by L^t. Col. Commandant S. [undecipherable], on the Months of [undecipherable] March & April 1799 — if you recollect most of the Soldiers who had enlisted for the War went home, previous to that payment being received, also many of the Officers. Consequently the Money [undecipherable] was received and was nor could not be paid in [undecipherable] and was thought by yourself [&] several of the Agents that it would be, for the Officers & Soldiers Benefit who wish to serve with as little inconveniency to them as was possible, to advertise on our [undecipherable] home, the place and time in the public News papers, where they might apply for said wages together with the Army [undecipherable] & due them, and make the settlement with you at some future time, and not receive our Commendation untill such Settlement was made, on such reasoning that the Officers & Soldiers could not come at three pay without very great inconvenience, I as one [undecipherable] in the proposal which I think is [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] to my disadvantage — because I am obliged to lay out of my Commutation from which I might have some the Right untill these accounts is settled with the United States and obliging me to go more than three [undecipherable] miles distance — and as I must [undecipherable] with them personally without any provision being made for my time & expences by the public — on settlement of which I acknowledge there is a balance due to the public but it would not pay for my time and expences to go such a distance, to make it appear that a balance is due them — therefore it appears very improper that individuals should be obliged to sacrifice their time and Money to the Public without even having a prospect of having it reimbursed again — this being the case and which is a very great Hardship — I think Sir you will join me in Sentiment. I sincerely [undecipherable] that I ever did receive this money which was due to the then absentees, at such an expence and trouble to myself and obliged to lay out of my Commutation which my Service then entitled me to receive — only to oblige the faithfull servants of the public (Officers & Soldiers) in which respect I did chearfully serve, could these accounts be settled on the State without so much expence and trouble, I should be glad — as that case would make a settlement [undecipherable], and if any money appears due to the United States [shall?] be ready and willing to be the [undecipherable], I heartily wish some method may be adopted to have these accounts settled in the States I suppose I am not the only one who has his account of this Kind unsettled — should