[March 6^th 1790] [about Pensions] [Petition to invalidate Pensioners] [and Eastern Lands] Hon: Henry Knox Esq^r New york Boston March 6.^th 1790 Dear Sir "Your favor of the 31.^st Jan.^y I have had the pleasure to receive. From the numerous applications to the Legislature & to the office of General Lincoln it is evident there are about one fifth of the pensioners of this commonwealth who can receive no benefit from the years pay granted by Congress — their names are by some means not included in the returns & they will neither receive the nor a gratuity pay granted them by the General in o^t their [undecipherable]. To effect a thorough remedy for this evil it is absolutely necessary there should be a new inspection & return of the whole. A resolution from the State will be transmitted to our [undecipherable] in Congress requesting them to have the past regulations so far reconsidered or extended as that this State may make a new return — there has also been voted on motion to appoint three suitable persons to make the inspection & return when permission is given for this purpose. But from my view of this business I am persuaded that this inspection should be under the direction of the General Government — perhaps the inspection in every State should be conducted by an uniform rule & subject to the guidance of one man appointed for that purpose — and if such superintendance was added to the superintendance over which you preside, I conceive the whole business would be conducted with perfect satisfaction to those concerned & with economy to the United States. There exist numerous instances to prove the necessity of a new return for us — we have officers entitled to [undecipherable] & who have been waiting for a continental provision. The lower floor of the State house has exhibited pensioners unnumbered, & their petitions have been numerous. General Lincoln will I believe write to you on this Subject. With respect to the Eastern or the South patent (as it is called) I can only inform you shortly that they have preferred petitions on petition, praying for nothing absolutely & directly, but yet requesting the State to protect them, or in other words to give them your lands. This the legislature will never can never do. The Com^ee to whom their petitions were given reported unanimously that they have been to withdraw their petitions, because they were unjustified in reason & because the petitions appeared to have been signed & probably presented without the agency of the persons concerned. In one petition (I think from [undecipherable]) there were 22 names written with one pen which & by only two different hands. A Cap^t Ulmer declared before the Com^ee that only 4 or 5 out of near 40 were in the hand writing of the persons. After much debate the consideration of the report of the Com^ee was reported to the next Session of [undecipherable]. A M^r Brown by [undecipherable] many things in the house which General Jackson knows to be false, together with a disposition in the house to refer every thing at this [undecipherable] of Session, caused this decision. Altho' the house have no kind of right to interfere in private property, I think it would be well for the heirs of Benjamin Hobb & [undecipherable] to have a fair representation on the floor of the house at the next Session, from which to obtain a final decision. An honest, firm man [undecipherable] on his mind, but if one more decision would be had it would settle the matter forever: and this I think would give you less trouble than to be obliged to seek a [undecipherable] on the look out for future petitions. The reference was made with the view that both parties should be perfect, & if you could make it convenient to attend in May I think a just & final decision would take place. This Session will probably terminate the day after tomorrow — the ceiling of light houses &c has been waived there is a jealousy in this point & perhaps it was as well not to touch it. M^r Gardiner the reformer out of one & twenty bills in a large green Satchell has [undecipherable] so far as to get one clause in one bill adopted: — I am with great respect & esteem D^r General your friend W. Eustis [undecipherable] [General Knox.]