The President of The                                                 October 21 1799 United States — Sir By a letter received from The Secretary of War to me dated the 14 Instant, He observes that "The President of The United States, referred to me a complaint made to him by a Citizen that the usual reward of Ten dollars, had been refused him for apprehending & delivering up to a military Officer a Deserter from Captⁿ Millers Company, of Infantry — this claim appears to have been grounded upon a certificate from Callender Irvine, Captain in the 2^d Reg^t of Art^s & Eng^rs, that the Deserter had been delivered to him at the Barracks, Carlisle Pennsylvania, on the 28 Nov^r 1798, by a Mr. Hugh McAllister and also a certificate from Francis Gibson Lieut^o 2^d Reg^t of Art^s & Engineers, that the same Deserter was tried at Reading & found guilty of Desertion. there are endorsements upon these Certificates, one by yourself dated the 15 Aug^t last, purporting that they were presented to you by Hugh McAllister for the allowance, & that you informed him, it could not be allowed. Another by the Pay master General of the same date, purporting that if the Accountant could not allow this claim he was not at liberty to settle it. The President's orders to me are that 'I shall enquire & satisfy myself, that justice is done in this case.' To which I replied on the 16 Instant. "As respects the complaint made by a Citizen, to the President of The United States that the usual rewards had been refused him, for apprehending a Deserter of Captⁿ Millers Company. I have to observe that no evidence appears by the muster Rolls that the person apprehended, was a Deserter, neither did it appear that he had been advertised as such, or any reward offered for his apprehension. The claim was on these grounds rejected, such proof being thought necessary previous to the premium being allowed." As the representation in question was made to you by a Citizen, I shall with your permission state that Hugh McAllister the person presenting the Claim, was a Notary Public at Carlisle & was one of a member of Persons indited for practising frauds on the United States, in presenting false Powers of Attorney, & thereon receiving from the Departments of the Treasury & War, Soldiers Settlements — that it appeared that as Notary Public he had granted his signature, & Official Seal, to papers, evidently with