[Col^o Joseph Willems] War Department, 11^th Decm^r [17—] Sir I have letters from you and the Superintendant and at Spring post varying advices to a [undecipherable] Coal furnished under a Contract made by you, for the use of the Armory, the payment for which you are prevented to receive by his refusal to give certificates that the quantity and quality of the [strikethrough: Coal] [underline: Coal] articles [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] by the Contractors. It is surprising that I should be requested to decide on a subject to which you & the Superintendent ought to be fully competent. Do you wish me to declare that the Superintendent without cause would refuse to give a receipt agreeably to the quantity & quality of the Article furnished? or does he wish me to suppose that you are willing to pay public monies for unmerchantable articles or for greater quantities than are actually delivered for public use? You say you are convinced that the Contractors