observe, that had I been made acquainted with the permission y[ou] obtained for coming to this place, & your intention, I should have to have been prepared to take up the examination of your accounts, on arrival here; but, having never been Officially informed thereof could of Course not make the necessary arrangements previous to your so as to be ready to enter on an immediate examination — The du[undecipherable: duties of] my Office [having] lately very materially Increased — All my Cler[undecipherable: Clerks] except those employed in the Current business of the Office, are in the adjustment of large & complicated accounts, which will consu[undecipherable: consume] considerable time, & the issue of which is anxiously waited for by tho[undecipherable: those] now attending the Office, — It will therefore be impossible for me (how[undecipherable: however] ancious I am for a settlement of your accounts) now to enter on the [undecipherable: examin]tion of them. — I shall, however continue to pursue the examination & settlement of the Officers accounts, who have received monies from you as they come forward, and you will in course receive a credit for all such accounted for — It will be indispensably necessary when a final exam[undecipherable: examination] & Settlement of your accounts shall take place, that you personally att[undecipherable: attend] this Office — Sam Y^o W[undecipherable]Simmon[undecipherable] c Acc Nicholas Fish Esqu^re Accountants Office Supervisor New York February 7, 17[undecipherable] Sir The Treasurer of the United States will you the sum of one hundred sixty eight Dollars & [undecipherable], which you will [be required to] pay to Lieut Horatio R. Dayton at Elizabeth Town / New Jersey, taking necessary receipts for the same, being for his pay from 1 September to 31 [undecipherable] 97, & for his Subsistence from [undecipherable] August to 31: December 97 inclusive — Sam Y^o W[undecipherable]S