Pay Master. The advance of pay & subsistence was made to him to enable him to leave Town for the Army. — I forward you those papers that you may be prepared on his arrival at the Army to make the necessary deductions from the Pay &c &c of which you will forward me in the usual form a Certificate of such Stoppages I am &c W^m Simmons Acct The Hon^ble Theodore Foster Esq^r Providence Rhode Island Accountants Office Oct^r 18^th 1796 D^r Sir I had the honour of receiving your letter of the 6^th inst on the subject of the Claims of the Administrator to the Estate of Peter Harris deceased, late a Soldier in the Rhode Island line, which I reported the 8^th of April 1794 as barred by the Acts of Limitation — a summary of which I have not at hand however this enclosure by which you will see that the Act of the 23^d July 1787 required that a Abstract of all Claims should be exhibited within a term given period, and that the Act of the 27^th March 1792 suspended the operation of the limitation only for two years ending on 27^th March 1794. All Claims rendered under those Acts were entered on a Register kept for that purpose of which a Copy was furnished immediately after the expiration thereof to the Department of the Treasury exhibiting a particular Abstract of each Claim — That of Peter Harris was not entered thereon neither could it either from M^r Davis's Letter of the 15^th of March or 2^d of April 1794. The Construction of the Limitation Acts has fixed an established rule in the Office which cannot be deviated from short of an Act of Congress. I am &c W Simmons Acct Lieu^t John Saunders Fort Norfolk near Norfolk Virginia Accountants Office Oct^r 17^th 1796 Sir I received your letter of the 11^th Inst enclosing a Certificate of the Contractor for your retained Rations, which arrived too late to forward the Money by this Post — it will however be sent to the Sup^t by the next Post, as well as your Pay for the months you have due you I am &c W^m Simmons Acct