Philadelphia June 3^d 1800 Sir At the request and by direction of the heads of the Executive Departments I have undertaken to superintend the removal of the public & other property attached to the public offices &c. from hence to the city of Washington so far as it respects the providing Vessels Waggons, & receiving & Shipping or sending off the articles & disbursing the monies for the expence thereof — I have generally made all my contracts payable here on the return of the parties. to some of them however I find it will be an advantage to receive payment at your place. — Mr Stoddert Secretary of the Navy has done me the favor to mention your name as a person who would be good enough to undertake this part of the business on having funds placed in your hands for that purpose, I have therefore taken the liberty to enclose a Check on the Bank of Deposit at Baltimore for Five Hundred Dollars, payable to your order & shall from time to time remit you in this or any other way you will be pleased to point out such further Sums as will meet any payments I shall request you to make. — for the present I have only to request that you will pay to Capt Samuel Ells on delivery of his bargo agreeable to Contract, a copy of which is enclosed — Three hundred & fifty dollars, and a reasonable allowance for demurrage if he should be detained there longer than eight days, as this however is hardly probable I hope no expence of this kind will be incurred — Some person from each of the Departments will be there to take charge of & give receipts for the goods belonging to their several Departments — the property belonging to the household of the President of the United States I am told will most probably be received by the commissioners of the City of Washington — The captains who have part of this property on Board their Vessels have been uneasy lest they should meet with some difficulty in finding out the persons who were to receive it, shall I beg you to give them such information & assistance. respecting it as may facilitate their getting receipts for the delivery. — I request the favor of an answer acknowledging the receipt of this letter. I Shall write you further in a day or two — I am very respectfully your Obd^t Ser^t. William Marbury Esq^r Georgetown Potomack, P.S. I have enclosed a letter to Capt Ells which you will be pleased to Seal & have delivered to him on his arrival as he knew not to whom to apply when he left here — Philadelphia June 5^th 1800 Capt Ells Agreeably to my promise to you I have requested William Marbury Esq^re of George Town to Settle with you agreeable to Contract; you will therefore call on him for that purpose & give him the necessary receipts for the delivery of your Cargo & a discharge on Receiving payment I am with respect &c —