Nº 2. [a copy] Statement by M^r Rob^t Ellis Book-keeper in the Acc^t Office, of a conversation which passed on the 20^th Feb^y 1799. between Cap^t Samuel C. Vance & the. Accountant of the Depart^t of War. Captain Samuel C. Vance called at the Accountants Office this morning respecting a Soldiers claim for cloathing which from the conversation that passed, I understood had been submitted to the Secretary of War and by him rejected or suspended, those papers and the opinion of the Secretary the Accountant thought necessary previous to investigating said claim as his opinion would greatly influence him that the Certificate now produced without those original papers was insufficient and could not be acted upon — Captain Vance after some further conversation respecting the claim asked what he should tell the man, the Accountant replied that he had already said he could not make a settlement on the paper now produced. — Capit^o Vance then said. M^r Simmons either [undecipherable: probable "or"] I must be a dam'd villain by God, that your insinuation is [undecipherable: probable "villainous"] me, and that you are a villain, with many similar epithets equally base insulting [undecipherable: probable "immediately"] upon the conduct of the Accountant. Signed Rob^t Ellis Philadelphia Feb^y 20^th 1799.