War department Trenton 26 September 1799 Sir, I have received your letter of the 25 September instant, which is in the following words. "I have several times noticed you that I supposed pay and forage as Surgeon's Mate were due me from the 1.^st of June to the 9^th August, and requested it might be forwarded me — This Sir so far as I know you have not noticed — I am not Sir acquainted with all the formality, perhaps servility, which you may require from those, who may have demands to make from your Office. — I know no other channel through which to demand the payment of what is actually due me but your Office — Should it neither be your duty to make the payment nor order it made, it is your duty after my having repeatedly mentioned the circumstance to instruct me how I shall obtain my dues — One way or other without further delay, I hope you will discharge your duty. You have noticed me that you supposed pay and forage were due to you as Surgeons Mate from the first day of June to the ninth day of August, and you evidently think it my duty to attend to your suppositions and ascertain whether pay and forage, and how much is due to you. I think it proper to inform you that the laws of the United States and well known regulations, relative to the pay of the Army, have prescribed the course to be followed by Officers in service, or having left the service, who conceive the public to be in their debt for pay and emoluments. These laws and regulations have also designated the channels through which they are to receive their pay and emoluments and the appropriate Office where their accounts are received, examined, and finally passed upon — If you have not thought proper to pursue the usual and well known course, you have yourself only to blame. If you do pursue it and afterwards have reason to complain against any Officer in the Army or in my department, relative to your accounts, I shall think it my duty to weigh with deliberation the complaint and afford you such relief as may appear proper and within my competency. If you are still ignorant of the proper course to pursue or what Office to apply to, you can easily inform yourself. You will be at no loss to imagine, that I could not suppose it possible you should have remained three Years in the army and not know where or how to obtain your pay or emoluments. I must now take the liberty to advise you in future, to attend more to the expressions and manners usually observed by Gentlemen, even when the right is apparently clear, from injuries received, to make peremptory demands. I have never known a departure from the rules of Urbanity to enhance the character of any Man — Sam. Ti[?] Your humble Servants James McHenry Dr. Samuel Osborne New York [Secretary, War Department]