[Copy.] The Secretary for the Department of War, to whom was referred the petition of Joseph Tucker, a a Thomas Hollis Condy, Robert Williams, and Samuel Armstrong Reports, That the petitioners soon after the conclusion of the late War, were appointed Agents to the Regiments of the Massachusetts line, to which they had been attached, for the purpose of receiving from the Paymaster General, the certificates of final settlement due the Officers and Soldiers of the Regiments and paying the same. That the petitioners accordingly received the following sums — Joseph Tucker, 176,615 dollars — Thomas Hollis Condy, 70,993 — Robert Williams, 179,580 — and Samuel Armstrong, 184,116 dollars. That on the 27^th of May 1785, Congress resolved, "that the Legislatures of the respective States, to which Regimental and other Agents appointed for the purpose of receiving from the Paymaster General certificates on a final settlement of the balances due to the Officers and Soldiers of the late Army belong, be, and they are hereby requested to cause the services of the said Agents to be examined and make them such allowance as they may think them entitled to, and charge the same to the United States. That such Agents deposit the certificates that may remain in their hands with the Supreme Executive of the States to which they belong, agreeably to the resolution of Congress of the 3^d of November 1783." That the late Board of Treasury in conjunction with the Commissioner of Army accounts in estimating the value of the services performed by Agents for Regiments or Corps, not appertaining to any State, determined it one per cent upon the amount actually issued payable in certificates of the Treasury. Although it may be inferred from the statement of the petitioners that the allowance for their services was not fully adequate, or equal to the allowance made by some other States, or equal to the one per cent aforesaid in Treasury certificates, yet as the right of judgement on their services, was transferred to the State of Massachusetts, to which the petitioners do not appear to have objected, it might be considered as an extraordinary measure for Congress at this period, whatever might be their opinion of the rate of compensation, to disapprove of the conduct of said State, on the allegation of the petitioners, either with respect to the sum granted, or the mode of payment. The Secretary of War, is therefore of opinion, that the case is so circumstanced, that the petitioners cannot obtain any further allowances, unless the Legislature of Massachusetts should think proper to grant the same. All which is humbly submitted to the House of Representatives. War Office } 25. May 1790. } [signed] H. Knox Sec^y of War