Jon. W. Jackson Esq^r Boston — Accountants Office April 16^th 1800 — Sir I have received your letters of the 7^th 8^th & 9^th Inst with your accounts against the Fortifications for March last, which will be placed under examination & you informed of the result — The Secretary of War's Instructions to you of date Sep.^r 23^d says "Your duties generally will be to make [underline: all purchases or "contracts for the War department,] particularly to procure such "materials as may be required to complete the works" & in the concluding paragraph, "The compensation for your trouble in the "performance of the duties hereby enjoined you, will be a Commission "of 2½ p^ct on the amount of your expenditures, [underline: provided the] "sum shall not exceed 20,000 Dollars, and one & half p^ct on all "above that sum," — hence it is evident that my construction of your instructions as relates to the compensation to be allowed to you is correct — Sam &^c W.S.