War Department 19^th May 1800 Sir - Among the last acts of my official administration, I pray leave to present the Case of Major Lewis Townsend, of the first Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers. This officer, from his Knowledge as an Engineer, and the [undecipherable] of the case, in a service and country which affords few Engineers, has been much employed in proceeding from place to place on [undecipherable], to view and determine on Situations proper for [undecipherable: fortifications?], to make plans and Estimates for the same, and afterwards, in divers instances, in Superintending their [undecipherable: Execution?], and those services [were] often connected with the discharge of his ordinary military duties at posts where garrisons [undecipherable] do. In addition to the above services required of him by the Department of War, Major [Stousand?] has also been employed by a Major General [undecipherable] on other services, involving and requiring great military Qualifications and Experience. Employed thus on business demanding the application of Science to Practice, Major [Towsand], as he was entrusted [undecipherable] his [undecipherable], and expenses were [undecipherable: occasioned?] to him by [undecipherable] his occupations. But independent of this, his frequent [undecipherable: removals?] from place to place were certainly [undecipherable], and [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] — he is [undecipherable] — and that, without taking with him [undecipherable] of his [undecipherable] at least a [undecipherable: part?] of his family, he would have been [undecipherable: deprived] — a great part of [undecipherable], for a year or two past, of all [undecipherable: domestic happiness?]. This Officer was also, when called to [undecipherable] distant, extra [undecipherable: Garrison?] Services as he [undecipherable] from a fixed and handsome command [that of?] [undecipherable], where the double [Rations] attached to his [Rank], and to which he would have been entitled in the Character of Commandant, would have gone far towards if not entirely Supported his family. If I may be permitted to say so, I have always thought that Major [Towsand's] extra Services entitled him to a liberal per diem allowance, when employed in the higher branches of his profession, and ever entertained an opinion that it would be more gratifying to the feelings and delicacy of an Officer, during such services of peculiar character as he had performed with [undecipherable: unremitting?] [undecipherable: assiduity?], attention [and] [undecipherable: intelligence?], to receive a stated allowance, which he himself appears to have contemplated at four dollars per day extra — than to be left to the old Regulation of the Department "[undecipherable] expenses"; which requires vouchers for the minutest [undecipherable: expences?], to be produced [at?] the Officers oath. Compensation to Major [Towsand] is one of the many cases that have been [undecipherable] in this progress to allowance by the new principle exhibited by the Accounting Officer, "that a person holding an Office, the pay & emoluments for which have been fixed by Law, cannot receive extra compensation for extra Service" — the effects and consequences of which principle I had the [undecipherable: Honour] [undecipherable] to detail, as [undecipherable: they respect?] particular cases, and to submit to your consideration some time since. [Undecipherable] me to [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] of an active and deserving Officer your [undecipherable] to his claim of Compensation for peculiar and extra Services, under particular Circumstances, to [undecipherable] the application of your [undecipherable] of [undecipherable], with [undecipherable] [undecipherable], would be [undecipherable]; and to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to be [undecipherable] according to [undecipherable] as he is entitled [undecipherable] — to which the Law has [undecipherable] [undecipherable], or only to receive according to the [undecipherable: measure?] of an existing Regulation, he will in either case [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of an Officer, whose very requirements and great [undecipherable] have produced him injury by subjecting him to [undecipherable] expenses; perhaps these [undecipherable] dollars per day will not more than remunerate him for his Extra Expenses. I have the Honour to enclose his [undecipherable] communication to me, and to be, With perfect Consideration Sir Your most obedient Servant James McHenry John Adams, President of the United States.