have been obliged to hire quarters when none were provided at any Post or Garrison where he was stationed - To enable me therefore to make any allowance, two things must be established - 1^st. the necessity of hiring quarters, none being provided at the Garrison; & 2^d. that this charge is as reasonable only - as to the first it will rest with [undecipherable] doubt to be shewn by proper [undecipherable] and as to the 2^d. a certificate thereto be produced signed by two reputable persons in Baltimore of the price of a room suitable for the business in which M^r Sevier is engaged - I accordingly [undecipherable] you the account with the observation that in my opinion the [undecipherable] remark a reasonable allowance; and if granted as not now provided they ought to be at the Post or Garrison at which M^r [undecipherable] is stationed - The regulations to which I have referred I enclose you & [undecipherable] of herewith, by which you will be further instructed - The Contractor M^r O'Hara has been furnished with them, and I do not doubt, will direct those Contractors acting under him to conform to them agreeably to Instructions - Sam^l H^o [undecipherable] [M^r John Mackey late Pay-master &^c the Public [undecipherable] Marquis Ferry] Annapolis Office April 4^th 1800 Sir I have received a letter of this date from the S^y of War in answer to mine of M^ch 31^st March on the subject of your acc^t, by which I feel myself authorized to discharge you from responsibility on the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] - But as respects the [undecipherable] for $[undecipherable] in favor of [undecipherable] I am [undecipherable] by the Secretary of War expressly chargeable to your acc^o of which you were only advised by me that you might make this [undecipherable]