[Docket: War Department to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] 1799 James M'Henry No [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] before On the subject of the [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in the [undecipherable]] War Department 10 August 1799 Sir I have received your letter of this date on the subject of compensation to Captain Samuel C. Vance, who was appointed and acted, in the capacities of Deputy Paymaster and Deputy Quarter Master General, on the late expedition to Northampton. More money than an officer is [underline: entitled to], according to the established practices, or principles of the Department, ought not to be allowed him, for the services he has actually performed. He ought however to be allowed the whole, he is entitled to receive. I shall expect in future, that you will charge your memory with former cases, which have established principles, and state to me in your references, the reasons why you conceive a particular case does not come within the spirit of a former decision. In consequence of an application to me by the Paymaster General, respecting the compensation to be allowed Cap^t. Vance, as Paymaster to the late expedition, as it was an analogous case, if not one precisely provided for, by the 15 Section of "An Act for the better organizing of the troops of the United States, and for other purposes" passed the 3^d. March last, I took the compensation allowed by this Section for my rule, and instructed the Paymaster General accordingly. The Quarter Master General also requested my opinion verbally, respecting the compensation it would be proper for him, to allow Captain Vance, for his services as Deputy, I informed him of the rule I contemplated for his allowance as Pay-master, and intimated that it would be proper, to have reference to this allowance, and [strikethrough: consider] the same, when fixing the compensation for the same office as Deputy Quarter Master General. I did not fix any determinate allowance on the latter application — but left it entirely to the Quarter Master General, to make such reasonable compensation to Captain Vance, having reference to the contemplated allowance to him, as Paymaster, as it was usual to make, to other agents, charged with like duties, in his Department. If the compensation fixed by the Quarter Master General, is disproportionate to the services rendered, or exceeds that usually allowed for like services in the same Department of the Army, it may be proper for the Accountant to see the Quarter Master General, in order that any mistake or error may be corrected. Does any objection exist, on account of the same individual officer, being compensated for different services, the Accountant is referred, to an Opinion of the Attorney General, dated the 27 June 1797 expressly in point. Captain Vance's charge for compensation I observe from your letter, commences for both services at the same time, and extends for his services as Deputy Quarter Master General, to the 20 July, and as Paymaster to the 21 of the same month. The reason of this variance I suppose to arise, from the different periods at which the respective Settlements were made with him, and from a supposition, that he was entitled to compensation while employed on and until the settlement was made I am Sir Your Obedient Servant James McHenry The Accountant of the War Department