century I have observed with great Satisfaction that the utmost accuracy has been observed by you in all your transactions as Paymaster. If at any time you should be at a loss for any information which I can give – I shall do it with pleasure. I have to observe in reply to your letter of the 26 Instant enclosing the directions of the Commanding Officer for placing on the Pay Roll sundry men who have not received their additional Bounty that they made I do not approve of. If the Officer who Inlisted the men will Settle his Accounting Account there will be no difficulty, the money shall be immediately procured. This shews the necessity of all accounting Officers Settling their account without delay. And I have to request that you will represent that there are a number of Officers who have not yet Settled their accounts and that I am determined to Stop their Pay, unless they Shall furnish them together with the Vouchers – Besides there are some Officers who have received sums of Money a long time since for the Pay of their men, and they have not furnished the Receipts, tho I have repeatedly Requested them to do it. These delays are the causes of the Soldiers not receiving their due, and cannot be avoided until all Officers will Settle their accounts. I hope therefore that they will be the last time that they will need to be reminded thereof. Herewith you have the receipts you gave Col. Rochefontaine for 21 Reg [undecipherable] Dollars— I am Sir &^c William Simmons [Maj. [undecipherable] | Lt. Nicholas | Capt Earle | Lt. Williams | [undecipherable] Thomas | Guille] Department of War Accountant's Office January 10^th 1796 I find that a motion lately made in Congress to augment the Salary of the Accountant has been referred to [undecipherable] it may therefore not be improper to make a few observations on the Situation of the business of the Office – The Office of Accountant for the War Department was organized by the Act of Congress of the 8 May 1792. This act makes it the duty of the Accountant to Settle all accounts relative to the pay, forage and Subsistence of the Army allowing him a Salary of 1200 Dollars [per] annum a that Sum has never since been Augmented as the Salaries of most of the other Officers of the Department have. In addition to the duties assigned to the Accountant by the above Act. It has been thought adviseable by the Secretary of the Treasury in concert to [agreed to] by the Secretary of War that all accounts for the pay and Subsistence of the Navy, expenses in the Military Establishment and all expenses and annuities in the Indian Department other than for the purchase of Stores Should pursue the Same means of liquidation. This forms a very large accession to the accounts and business of the Office, which circumstances could not have been taken into consideration when the Salaries were proportioned and must now be considered inadequate to the duties required of the Accountant who from his appointment is as much Acting Auditor for Settling & adjusting the accounts of the War Department as the Auditor is for Settling the Accounts of the Treasury. The duties of the Accountant are extensive and laborious, and of considerable Trust, as may be inferred from the large number of Clerks he is obliged to employ in the examination and adjustment of accounts of persons charged on the books of this Office with large Sums of public Money advanced to them under the present government great part of which are of long Standing and that no Monies can be paid on account of the Department of War without his Signature. The Accountant is of opinion that from these Considerations and from many things that might be explained to the Committee should they be pleased to call at the Office when the Accounts and documents will be produced for their inspection, that they will see a propriety of making it possible a report to Congress as will induce them more amply to Compensate him for the