The Comptroller of the Treasury — Accountants Office Sir July 23^d 1800 In compliance with a letter from the Secretary of War dated the 9^th instant, containing several questions on the subject of the accounts of the Quarter Master General, I addressed him in answer on the 11^th which I presume has produced his letter of the 16 Inst.^t requiring that the accounts of the Quarter Master General & of M^r Ja.^s O Hara a Contractor, should without delay be laid before the Comptroller of the Treasury; with the statements due to be made in such cases, by his (the Comptroller) letter to me of the 30^th January 1799. I deem it proper Sir, to hand you copies of those letters, at the same time that I have the honor to state for your information, that the acc^o.ts of the Quarter Master General rendered to this Office, have received such examination as the nature of them would admit; but such are the innumerable objections which have occurred: chiefly from Payments made by him, which I consider to be unauthorized by law or established Regulations (of which he has been duly advised in order to their removal) that an adjustment of them at this time, would avail nothing towards a final Settlement; in as much as the amount which could consistently be passed to his credit under every circumstance of the case, bears no comparison of that of his Accounts rendered; much less to the amount with which he stands charged on the Books of this Office. Should it nevertheless be your desire that his accounts be adjusted & reported to you in conformity to your abovementioned letter, I shall on the first intimation thereof, adjust & Report the same accordingly, with all possible diligence — M^r O Hara the Contractor for the Western Posts has not rendered any accounts to this Office, for issues under his Contracts for the present or preceeding Year; altho called upon so to do. Those of his accounts, for issues under his previous Contracts, have been rendered in detached parcels without the necessary Statements shewing the sums received from this Department & those he may be chargeable with for Transportation, articles purchased, or other supplies furnished by the Quarter Master General; which he, as well as the Quarter Master Gen.^l have been required to transmit for my government, but without effect. — Besides these impediments, the magnitude of the Contractors accounts, the difficulty of establishing a correct principle in their Settlement, & the absence of the Contractor from the Seat of Government, has hitherto prevented a Settlement — Their examination, however, shall progress without delay — Sam a^p W.S.