War Department, 17^th Jany 1800 Sir, I have received your Letter dated this day, enclosing copies of a Letter from you to General Hamilton & his Answer, relative to the allowance of double rations to Officers commanding separate posts agreeably to the Act of Congress passed the 3^d of March 1797. I enclose for your information a [undecipherable] Letter from me to the Accountant of the War Department, dated the 28^th of September last, in answer to an application from him on the same Subject. The opinion I then expressed I do not now see any reason to depart from. I consider the Question, what are separate posts, so as to entitle their respective Commandants agreeably [undecipherable] the Act to amend & repeal, in part, [undecipherable] act to ascertain & fix the military establishment of the United States, passed the [undecipherable]; to draw the number of Rations [undecipherable] [undecipherable] is to depend entirely upon [undecipherable]; consideration of the Law [undecipherable] Officers who suppose themselves entitled to double rations [undecipherable] the day, make application to the proper accounting [undecipherable] for the settlement of their [undecipherable] accounts. In which double rations are charged, it is incumbent [undecipherable] them to produce satisfactory [undecipherable] Commandants of Posts: that it is the duty of [undecipherable] to grant or refuse such accounts [undecipherable]; from their decision an appeal lies to [undecipherable] the Secretary, who must finally determine [undecipherable] all questions relative to such claims, and give a more liberal or more restricted construction to the law, as to [undecipherable] shall seem proper. You will perceive, Sir, that in giving to you the instructions you request as to the grant of double rations to Commandants of separate posts, from a conviction that it is not in my competency to give any, that would absolutely avail with the Treasury Department. Were I however to give an opinion & simply an opinion — I should say my Sentiments coincided with those of General Hamilton expressed in his Answer to your Letter — and, that it would be too large a construction of the Law to apply its provision to occasional and variable commands, like those of Officers superintending recruiting Rendezvous — ment — that it will apply to such Officers as [undecipherable] are, in their nature [underline: permanently] separate or detached [undecipherable] specified Posts of the Description; [undecipherable] give the [undecipherable] meaning with the intention of the provision, which is my [undecipherable] as an indemnification for extra Expense arising from [undecipherable], and also corresponds [undecipherable] of [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] you appear to experience in [undecipherable] which double rations are charged, [undecipherable] copies of your Letter to me, with [undecipherable] figures to [undecipherable] before the Comptroller of the Treasury who will no doubt [undecipherable] an arrangement that will enable you [undecipherable] to proceed, in such [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] fixed principles. I am, Sir, Your humble Serv't James [undecipherable: probable reading "McHenry"] The Paymaster General.