Providence 24. May 1791. I have the honor to address you on the Subject of a demand now made from my said Acct [undecipherable] you by Col. Butler, on which [undecipherable] have respectfully to remark, that upon his Return from Philadelphia, [undecipherable] my failings now must lead to fear that you had [undecipherable] as I conceive of the Particulars on which I took charge of that the Store as there are inseparable from that I had exhibited an imperfect [undecipherable], Firstly the 22½ Days Store charges in the [bill?], for performing and attending the business of [undecipherable] Run and marking the Returns thereof amounting to 45 Dollars, this I most conceive to be as just a charge as can be made against the United States, because I actually spent the time industriously and as perfectly as I could for the Public Interest, and [undecipherable] remuneration in a [superior?] as daily [undecipherable] with the [undecipherable] worthy allowance of Eight Dollars for the [safe keeping?] and I [conceived?] to [perform?] which was barely the safe keeping of the Store, that being all that was required as appears by your Letter to me of 9^th April 1787 a copy of which is [undecipherable] — with the removal of the Store not being contemplated, [undecipherable] from the [consequent?] allowance I was made a condition of my acceptance of the [said?] that the Store should continue at the Public risk, and all manner of things [Collection?] [undecipherable] [remain?] as evidence as appears by my letter to you on the dated [undecipherable] 1787 [undecipherable] to the Store Allowance before which an entirely accordingly. I took charge of the Store [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] [communication?] of [undecipherable] difficulties on which it has been [undecipherable] amounting to 67½ Dollars a [undecipherable] year. [Incredible?] said, [undecipherable] have regularly earned the monthly allowance [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] kind of safe keeping of a Store and accounts of the [undecipherable] for who is there that thinks much of his Character and [merit?] who [undecipherable] to [take?] the best [board?] and [perform?] [undecipherable] and [commun?]ation into the [Principle?] [reports?] for a life less than Eight Dollars a month. [Plans?] might have been [continued?] or perhaps [this?] [tried?] to have [accepted?] the charge of the Store and [performed?] all the [Duties?] of [collection?] & [Removal?] for even a life less than the monthly allowance, but then how might the [Seller?] have [fared?] in the [last?], a [comparison?] between the [former?] of my responsibility and that [immediately?] [preceding?] my [acceptance?] of the [undecipherable] [Duties?] — I [presume?] Sir, when you have [leisure?] to examine into the [Principle?] of my [contract?] which will appear from the [annexed?] copies of the [original?] letters and the foregoing [Remarks?], that you will be of opinion my claim to be [premised?] is clear and [sufficiently?] [Supported?] and that you will be pleased to alter the Same as now charged in the [annexed?] [Account?] which will [transmit?] the balance of Thirty Six Dollars and [Eight?] [cents?] now from me to the United States on the [undecipherable] [account?] transmitted if not [undecipherable] having a [surplus?] of [9?] [dollars?] [99?] cents in my favour — [and?] I [Solemnly?] you will [consider?] — Sir that on a [Principle?] I [Prefer?] respectfully to vindicate what I [conceive?] to be my [Right?] and my [particular?] [feelings?] on the [occasion?] [arising?] from an [apprehension?] that your [Perfectly?] [attention?] and [expense?] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] may be considered as my apology for the [trouble?] I have now given you on this Subject — I have the Honor to be with perfect Respect Sir Your Most Obed^t and Most Humble Serv^t, [undecipherable] Henry Knox Esq^r. Secretary at War. [S. Secretary at War. [undecipherable] May 1791.]