Surveyors Office May 28^th 1800 [Per] I do myself the honor to transmit to you two affidavits & the papers accompanying them, deliver'd to me by M^r W^m M^cLaws — his case certainly deserves consideration, he is represented to me as a person of good character & worthy of credit — it might be dangerous to admit [underline: verbal] contracts generally, there [strikethrough: however] can be little doubt but that he was to finish all the cartridge boxes for which blocks were delivered to him by the public; any ballance due to him for those already [underline: delivered] in, ought I presume to be [strikethrough: paid by M^r Frances,] settled by the Executors of M^r Francis, if you will be pleased to give any directions respecting those in his hands part finished & whether more shall be made or not, they will be duly attended to I am with respect Hon^ble James M^cHenry Eq^r your most Ob^ed Ser^t Secretary of War —