[marginalia: undecipherable notation, top left corner] W D— 22^d Jany 1796 The claim of Capt Blackburn — to under- stand the case, observe the following facts. A sum of money was placed in Capt. Blackburn [undecipherable] for the recruiting [undecipherable: service], for which he [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the Secretary of War [undecipherable] M^r William [undecipherable: Grayson] [undecipherable] himself under the orders of Capt Blackburn and aid him in the recruiting service. — By the [undecipherable] of this direction [undecipherable] the Secy. of War, [M^r.] Grayson rec^d one hundred — & fifty Dollars from Capt. Blackburn for the purpose of [undecipherable]. The money has been misapplied by M^r Grayson who has since [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] & left no property. — The question is whether the United States or Capt. Blackburn shall lose the sum of 150 Dollars which has now [undecipherable] advanced? This question is easily answered — The United States must [undecipherable] the loss — It was the duty of Capt. Blackburn, to make this advance — with[undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [pay?] [undecipherable] [M^r.] Grayson could not [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [perform?] the service required — By appointing [M^r.] Grayson to be a subordinate [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the recruiting [undecipherable], the [undecipherable] the Secy. of War justified the advance of [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of money, the [undecipherable] actually advanced, has not appear to be unreasonable — The consequence is that death & insolvency of M^r. Grayson [undecipherable] [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] ground [undecipherable] the U.S. — [endorsement in right margin, rotated: 22 Jany 1796 / [undecipherable] of War / [undecipherable]] The Secy. of War —