[Philadelphia 22 Decr.] [W 42^th] [rec'd 30^th] [Answd] [Docketed: 1797, Neft, William] Sir, Philadelphia 22^d December 1797 I received yours of the 11^th Inst. on Tuesday last, when attending the general court on various [undecipherable] relating to the duties of my office; part of which, I had to postpone, in order to return last evening, to pursue with all possible diligence, the work of making up my Militia accounts, under a well founded hope, of being able, to reach [undecipherable] before the end of the last week in January. — To accomplish this object, I have not known what a single hours relaxation was, since the receipt of your first letter. — I So dispersed have individual claimants, and so delinquent have some [undecipherable: probable reading proven] to being, that within the two last days, I have paid to individuals of money returned by agents two years ago upwards of fifty dollars; and have adjusted the vouchers of [undecipherable] Companies; one which it appears that the money had been previously applied more than [undecipherable] ago,— [undecipherable: probable reading thus] my threats of putting their bonds in suit, had not been able to bring them forward before. — Yet after every exertion that I have made, I now fear, that I shall not be able to set off in time, for I must spend a day or two at [undecipherable] office, 10 miles from [undecipherable], three o which is [undecipherable] before I go; and the present inclement season is such, that I dare not hazard being blocked in on the ice, by going there tomorrow to return again on Saturday, then [undecipherable] for Phil- on the 28^th as I had intended. — If therefore, I should not see you before Saturday the 6^th of next month, I hope, in making your report, you will bear in [undecipherable] of a qualifying [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] of 60,000 Dollars advanced to [undecipherable] name [undecipherable] returned [undecipherable] of the money advanced to me, upwards of 12 months ago, without being called upon [undecipherable] — that I transmitted to the Secretary of War, a very few months after I engaged in the business, a [undecipherable] of payments made, [undecipherable] which [undecipherable], that nearly the whole of the money placed in my hands was duly appropriated — that [undecipherable] there is not as much money in my hands, as [undecipherable] satisfy the ascertained claims if applied to— and that, I attended at Philadelphia last [undecipherable] with every document relating to my agency, to close which, I had long expressed a strong desire, and could then, have exonerated myself, [undecipherable] and the delinquency of certain persons [undecipherable] refused to pay individuals, in not having rendered their vouchers to me, prevented a [undecipherable] adjustment [undecipherable] — or something to this [undecipherable]. — Also, the idea of being reported as having 60,000 public monies unaccounted for, [undecipherable: probable reading should it be made] is distressing beyond description; and will affect me exceedingly. — In short, it will oblige me to publish my correspondence with the War Department on the subject, with affidavits to prove, that from the hour of bringing the money to [undecipherable: probable reading Richmond], to the present, there has never been a single dollar in my possession, the whole being then placed, (as hath been all monies returned) [undecipherable] keeping in the strong box of a Public Officer, who hath been kind enough to lay it out on my drafts, as [undecipherable] the persons [undecipherable] specified. — I took this precaution, besides the consideration of [undecipherable] in order to be well able to defend myself against any of those malicious insinuations, which [undecipherable] had discovered the Democrats, or Jacobins of his Country, were ever seeking to circulate against those, in whom our Government placed confidence. and tho' I have hitherto [undecipherable] their malignancy, Yet, if your report [undecipherable] be [undecipherable] before Congress, [undecipherable] with respect to me, I know well, that there are certain members, who would feel themselves highly [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] — (and God knows their joy [undecipherable] not last long) to have it in their power even to [undecipherable], that I was in [undecipherable: probable reading reality] a delinquent. — [undecipherable] thank you to [undecipherable: probable reading shew] this to my friend Col. [undecipherable]. He is well acquainted with my character & [undecipherable]. And I am persuaded, if he [undecipherable] with [undecipherable] intentions, he will recommend, either a postponement of your report a few days, or that, it should be accompanied with a note of the above import. — I pray you to accept my thanks for the polite, & ready attention, which you have hitherto paid to my letters— I am Sir, very respectfully [undecipherable: probable reading Wm. Neft] W[illia]m Simmons Esq^r