Request for names and ranks of persons eligible for compensation; on the matter of War Department certificates
Item
Type
Letterbook Copy
Title
Request for names and ranks of persons eligible for compensation; on the matter of War Department certificates
Description
Joseph Howell sends to John White a letter requesting names and ranks of persons eligible for compensation and suggests the adoption of state programs whereby War Department certificates maybe accepted as specie in payments on land transactions.
year created
1785
month created
03
day created
18
author
sent from location
Philadelphia
recipient
in collection
in image
notable person/group
John White
Joseph Howell
Mr. Pierce
Congress
the army
the executive council
the land office
citizens of Maryland
soldiers
agents of the line
speculators
Mr. Hamilton
the Treasury
notable location
Philadelphia
Maryland
New York
Charleston
notable item/thing
certificates
land
money
salary
discharges
payments
legislature
specie
settlements
compensation
document number
1785031821055
page start
60
transcription
Philadelphia 18 Mar. 85
Dear Sir
In reply to yours of the 7 Ins. & I have to inform you that Congress have done nothing in respect to the allowance of Agents for the several Lines of the Army. altho' Mr. P. has repeatedly made application to them for that purpose The Agent of this Line-proposes to apply to the Legislature for the expences the have been at, whether any compensation will be granted them is still in Embsy . The Certificates were Countersigned by Order of the Executive Counsl, this was done in consquence of the Land Office being opened where those Certificates were taken as Specie in Payments of Lands, whether it may be necessary for the State of Maryland to adopt this plan I shall leave to their Wiseacres tho' in my humble opinion it will answer a very good purpose for them to do it, as then every Citizen of Maryland who wishes to have the security of his own state may purchase with imposite on, I would advise Jack to propose this matter to the proper authority. but at the same time give a Hint of the necessity of either granting him a sum of Money to begin with or to fix a salery - The Agents of this Line before they began to Issue advertised that all soldiers should produce their discharges on receiving of their Certificates, and that those who had transfers should
\63
should bring them in to be recorded for which the Agents opened a Book in Alphabetical Order inserting the Names of the solders who had sold or transfered their pay, with the Reg. they belonged to, the Name of the Per- son transferred to & the sum, if specifyed, for which busi- ness they received on Quarter dollar, binding themselves on Honor to preserve such transfer for the the Holder, this was done on opening their business but finding no disposition in Congress or this Legeslature to grant them anything for their time and trouble, they adopted the principle of charging the Speculators one [undecipherable] on the Nominal Value of their securities deducting what was rece.d for recording this was paid with clear fulness by some, by other disputed - it is now paid by all, and altho' the Commission amounted to a pretty round sum they find they are still in advance near two hundred pounds- taken the Circuit of the State (by order of Concil) has led them into this Expence.
I would advise Mr Hamilton to fix his matter well before he begins for he may depend it will cost him much time & trouble before the finish- ing stroke is just to his House - The settlements made at the Treasury seldom mention the Reg.t or State the parties belong to, you will therefore send me the Names & Ranks of those persons you
64/
your may want let this be done soon as that Office will
speedily be moved to N. York. I received a Letter from Mr.
Pierce dated Charleston the 22. Feb.y last. he expects
to finish his business by the 1st of May, and has desired
the Office to be at N. York agreeably to order from which I
expect to pack up in about one Month from this -
John White Esquire Jos. Howell Jun.r
Dear Sir
In reply to yours of the 7 Ins. & I have to inform you that Congress have done nothing in respect to the allowance of Agents for the several Lines of the Army. altho' Mr. P. has repeatedly made application to them for that purpose The Agent of this Line-proposes to apply to the Legislature for the expences the have been at, whether any compensation will be granted them is still in Embsy . The Certificates were Countersigned by Order of the Executive Counsl, this was done in consquence of the Land Office being opened where those Certificates were taken as Specie in Payments of Lands, whether it may be necessary for the State of Maryland to adopt this plan I shall leave to their Wiseacres tho' in my humble opinion it will answer a very good purpose for them to do it, as then every Citizen of Maryland who wishes to have the security of his own state may purchase with imposite on, I would advise Jack to propose this matter to the proper authority. but at the same time give a Hint of the necessity of either granting him a sum of Money to begin with or to fix a salery - The Agents of this Line before they began to Issue advertised that all soldiers should produce their discharges on receiving of their Certificates, and that those who had transfers should
\63
should bring them in to be recorded for which the Agents opened a Book in Alphabetical Order inserting the Names of the solders who had sold or transfered their pay, with the Reg. they belonged to, the Name of the Per- son transferred to & the sum, if specifyed, for which busi- ness they received on Quarter dollar, binding themselves on Honor to preserve such transfer for the the Holder, this was done on opening their business but finding no disposition in Congress or this Legeslature to grant them anything for their time and trouble, they adopted the principle of charging the Speculators one [undecipherable] on the Nominal Value of their securities deducting what was rece.d for recording this was paid with clear fulness by some, by other disputed - it is now paid by all, and altho' the Commission amounted to a pretty round sum they find they are still in advance near two hundred pounds- taken the Circuit of the State (by order of Concil) has led them into this Expence.
I would advise Mr Hamilton to fix his matter well before he begins for he may depend it will cost him much time & trouble before the finish- ing stroke is just to his House - The settlements made at the Treasury seldom mention the Reg.t or State the parties belong to, you will therefore send me the Names & Ranks of those persons you
64/
your may want let this be done soon as that Office will
speedily be moved to N. York. I received a Letter from Mr.
Pierce dated Charleston the 22. Feb.y last. he expects
to finish his business by the 1st of May, and has desired
the Office to be at N. York agreeably to order from which I
expect to pack up in about one Month from this -
John White Esquire Jos. Howell Jun.r
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (3 pages) | DDA01 (175 pages) | Collection: Numbered Record Books, 1775-1798. (RG93) (M853) | V:136; P:60 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Joseph Howell | Philadelphia | [n/a] |
| Recipient | John White | [unknown] | [n/a] |