Sir Phila. 8. July 179[undecipherable] You have herewith two accounts for consideration in paying the Virg: Militia Paid agreeably to your request, upon different principles. — The difference between them as to amount, is too trifling to merit a moments consideration. — With submission therefore, I would prefer the one Marked A, because it shews the just principles upon which it is made out. — And as you have a pretty just Idea of the very great attention & labor which I have bestow'd on this business, as well as the very considerable sums which I have saved to the United States, by adopting a mode of investigation very different from that pursued by the other State agents, I would not have presumed to say any thing on the subject more, if you had not signified that it would be proper to submit any claim to the Secretary of War, with such such observations as might be expected to explain & support the principles upon which it is made. — This, I have thought it but to do, any way, it goes to the account itself. — Notwithstanding which, I should be glad to see the Secretary, before he gives an opinion, to lay before him some one or two of those papers that you have seen, to prove, not only the uncommon labor which I have manifested in prosecuting this business, but that, every [underline: possible] has been done, to do strict & ample justice to the Individuals as well as to the United States. — Will you permit me here, to make one observation on the subject of the precedency which you hinted, the payment of my claim might establish. — By [undecipherable] Cummings instructions I was to have [undecipherable] per centum, & more, if my Services generated an increase — Now, had I done the business as the other agents have done, besides avoiding trouble- troublesome, & in many instances, unpleasant disputes, I should have had little more trouble than signing checks upon the bank for payment, & should not have experienced that extreme anxiety of mind which I did, [undecipherable] while investigating old papers, & making out accurate pay rolls — and my compensation would have been thus £ [undecipherable] Add — per — would have been at least 60,000 — [undecipherable] 24,746.01 — making altogether — 84,746.01 — at [undecipherable] — 847.40[undecipherable] Commiss— on rects— as [undecipherable] — [undecipherable].97 Ditto — on ascertained [undecipherable] — 22.41 For expenses — — as do — 108. — 992.74 Thus, I should have to receive about 900 Dls less than I now claim; and the U. States would have been about 17,000 Dls more in advances. — But, at the rate of 1½ [undecipherable] I understand M^cGale charges, for doing little or nothing, my account w^d amount to within 330 Dlls of what it now does, with the same increase of debt to the U. States. — Can there then, be a moments question about allowing my demand? — But [undecipherable] charged the [undecipherable] reposed in me, in the manner I understand M^r Dallas has done, instead of charging, as he has, 6 [undecipherable] — I should really have been asham'd, to ask one [undecipherable]. I have written this in great haste, which I pray you to excuse and to believe me to be with respect & Esteem [Y^r Mo: Ob^dt [Serv^t]] [signature] William Simmons Esq^r