Accountants Office March 11^th 1800 I Certify that there is due to Lieut.^t Peter Grayson 4.^th Regiment the Sum of thirty six dollars being to reimburse him the same amount paid to William Reid late a Sergeant under his command for his pay from 1 April to the 30 Sept. 1794. which sum is payable to Jared Brooks Pay master, to the Troops at & near Staunton Virginia, who is to be held accountable for the delivery thereof, to said L^t Grayson ∽ W.S. Dolls: 36.- The Sec.^t of War- March 12^th 1800 I do Certify that the following are copies of an account against The United States exhibited by Silas Dinsmoor late Temporary Agent to the Cherokee nation of Indians, and a letter accompanying the same from the Secretary of War dated 28^th February 1800, authorizing the said acc^t to be admitted, if substantiated by his Oath Viz^t D^r The United States in account with Silas Dinsmoor For expences incurred in the Indian Department, estimated at 1 80/100 Dolls. a day from the 25 June 1794 to the 23 February 1799. 1705 days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dolls 3069.00 "Silas Dinsmoor" "The above sum total arises from the furnishing and support of horses necessary in the agency for the support of my table & receiving occasional visitors at my usual places of residence, and for necessary travelling expences ∽ Silas Dinsmoor" * War department Feb^r 28^th 1800 Sir M^r Silas Dinsmoor late Deputy agent to the Cherokee nation is to be settled with for the necessary expences which he incurred in the discharge of his trust as Dep.^t Agent aforesaid from the 25 June 1794 to the 23 February 1799. The charges which he can claim will chiefly be "comprised under the head of the hire and keeping of Horses; "necessary in his agency; the support of his Table during the occasional "visits of Indians at his usual places of residence; his necessary "travelling expences in the nation and his own rations; or an "equivalent equal to his daily maintenance. If it is impossible for him to detail the items for the whole of these expenditures, you will have the accounts substantiated by his oath - I am Sir Your obed.^t Serv.^t James McHenry The Accountant of the War department- The foregoing claim it appears has recently been exhibited to The Secretary of War and it seems is made the foundation of his letter authorizing the amount to be admitted to the Debit of The United States, on M^r Dinsmoor's substantiating the same by his Oath - I have accordingly considered the claim of M^r Dinsmoor and have examined the several settlements he has made at the Treasury Department, as well as those made at this Office, and am of opinion that the same is inadmissible, and should not be allowed on the principles stated by The Secretary of War: nor if final settlements can at any times be revised and additional allowances granted by The Secretary of War for the time being, for services performed at a Salary fixed under the appointment of his predecessor in Office there may be no End to settlements, nor will the Accounting Officers know when an account is to be considered as Settled. It would also be subverting and established rule heretofore observed of revising no settlements which have been considered final. In the present case it appears that Silas Dinsmoor was appo[inted] on the 25 June 1794 at a Salary of 1000 dollars p annum, that he was instructed to render his accounts to the Department of the Treasury for examination and settlement which was accordingly done from time to time and his accounts finally settled up to the 30 Sept [17—] that for subsequent services and supplies he was directed to render [interlineated: where he was paid his salary by several settlements.] his accounts to this Office for settlement, up to the 1 Sept. 1796; and from that period to the 31 Dec.^t 1798 he was settled with for his Salary by David Henley, agent for the War Department at Knoxville Tennessee. That in February 1799 he exhibited at this Office an account of sundry disbursements including his salary up to the 23^d Feb^r 1799 the date of his resignation, shewing a balance of Dolls. 229.97/100 which he attested to on the 5 march 1799, as justly due to him from The United States. This account was submitted by him to The Secretary of War who admitted the same by inserting thereon "admitted, James McHenry." Besides the said balance, M^r Dinsmoor claimed the sum of 34 25/100 dollars for a case with liquor delivered by him to the Commissioners appointed to hold a Treaty with the Indians previous to the arrival of their stores, which was also submitted to the Secretary of War and was in like manner admitted by him; a warrant on the Treasurer was accordingly issued for the amount thereof and which I conceived to be a settlement in full up to the day of his resignation, no reservation having been mentioned of the claim in question and which appears not to have been brought forward until near one year after the above mentioned settlement - On inquiry at the War Office it appears that on the 29^th Aug.^t 1796 the secretary was informed M^r Dinsmoor by [the?] that his salary would be 1000 Dollars p annum & 4 rations p day or the value thereof to be computed at the contract price at the principal frontier post - no claim for rations has been ever exhibited. Notwithstanding if he has not drawn them nor received payment in lieu thereof from the United States through any of its agents he continues entitled to compensation therefor from the 29 Aug.^th 1796 (the day the allowance was granted) to the 23 February 1799, the date of his resignation and which is all that, in my opinion, he can equitably have a claim for. As I have been so unfortunate as to differ with The secretary of War in opinion on several accounts similar to the one under consideration, and the claimants having in consequence been dissatisfied with my decisions, I have been thus, particular in offering my objections to this claim, under the hope that the same may be submitted to some other authority, and I informed to what extent I am authorized in adhering to my opinion, in like cases - W.S. To Sec.^t of War. Accountants Office March 12^th 1800 I certify that there is due to William Smith contractor at Springfield Armory the sum of Fifty three dollars & 99/100 being a balance for rations & fuel issued to the Officers & Armourers at Springfield Armoury, (mass.) in Oct. Nov. & Dec.^t 1799. which sum is to be transmitted to Jon.^as Jackson Supervisor Boston, to be by him paid to the said, M^r Smith ∽ W.S. D^rs 53. 99 The Sec.^t of War