Deputy Paymaster of the Southern Army
Item
Type
Draft Letter
Title
Deputy Paymaster of the Southern Army
Description
Discusses Joseph Clay, the Deputy Paymaster to the Southern Army, and money which was lost, along with provisions and related acts of Congress; also mentions Treasury Board.
short description
Deputy Paymaster of the Southern Army
year created
1787
month created
09
day created
12
author
sent from location
New York
recipient
in image
author note
John Pierce
recipient note
Nathaniel Pendleton
notable person/group
Nathaniel Pendleton
John Pierce
Joseph Clay
Board of Treasury
commissioners
Deputy Paymaster
Southern Army
Congress
William Alexander
escort
Comptroller of the Treasury
confidential Officer of Congress
Haws
clerk
notable location
New York
Treasury
Maryland
Virginia
United States
savannah
notable item/thing
sum of money
act of congress
enclosed way
account and vouchers
settlement
diligent search
recover
legal process
balance
collect this money
delay
original of the papers
document number
1787091221201
page start
1
transcription
Sep. 12. 1787
Nath. Pendleton
Copied
New York September 12 1787
Sir
Jos. Clay Esq. who acted as Deputy PMS to the Southern Army [undecipherable]
had a sum of money directed to him, 'by me,' in the
year 1781, consisting of the new emissions emitted by
the Legislatures under the act of of Congress of March 18 1780
which the escort, to whom I entrusted this business received
from the States, of Maryland and Virginia, and delivered
on the 27 of July 1781 into the hands of M<sup>r</sup>
W<sup>m</sup> Alexander, to deliver to M<sup>r</sup>Clay who was not present to receive
it as will appear by the copies N 1. 2 & 3
on the 3<sup>d</sup> of August following M<sup>r</sup> Clay came to the
place where this money was deposited, and received the
same into his hands, and for which
he acknowledges himself answerable, as appears
by the enclosed copy N 1 also by his account [undecipherable]
rendered on the 31 of August 1781
In May 1785 when I was in Savannah he committed
into my hands his accounts and vouchers for settlement,
among which was included the attested paper N 3
in which he has supposed that
this money never came into his hands and that he
is accountable only for the part he has attested that
he has received.
But in the examination of his accts before the Comptroller
of the Treasury, it has been
determined, that Mr Clay is answerable for the whole
sum, to the United States, because of
his above mentioned acknowledgement, and because
he was the confidential Officer of Congress to whom it
was disputed <s>that [undecipherable] sufficiently informed of its being in [undecipherable]</s> <sup>and by whom it was received</sup>, and that it was his duty and no other persons to have seen to its safety.
It was however the wish of the Treasury Board not to have called on Mr. Clay, but having [undecipherable] to find Mr. [undecipherable] under in has not been heard of, and Mr Clay having informed [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] had fell with the hands of a Mr Fleur. [Commander?] [undecipherable] he was also [undecipherable] after and on being found, has not produced the money, but on the contrary there is strong reason to believe that he has <sup>lately</sup> disposed of it to his own advantage. The Board [undecipherable] lay so fruitless a [undecipherable], thinks permission to call on that Officer whose appointment and obligation has made [undecipherable] responsible to the public for the [undecipherable], and have therefore authorized and directed me immediately to take the most efficient steps to recover from M Clay, by a legal [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] which he there left in Mr Alexanders hands amounting to fifty seven thousand six hundred Dollars, which is now <s>[undecipherable]</s> equal to [specie?]: log them with the Interest on the same <sup>[undecipherable]</sup> since the state of its emision, which [undecipherable] have been prior to June 1781.
My reason this [undecipherable] for writing to you, is, by the [undecipherable] direction of the Board to employ you as an attorney to collect this money, <sup>from Mr. Clay</sup> in the most direct and effectual manner, as the public interest must not be injured any further, by a delay.
[paragraph stricken]
[paragraph stricken]
When it is [undecipherable] the originals of <sup>such of</sup> the program now inclosed to you, <sup>as you will want</sup> details the [undecipherable] for the support of any [undecipherable], that you shall [undecipherable] this business.
Your [undecipherable] and such up [undecipherable] as your shall be just to in this business I will [be repaid?].
If Mr. Clay should receive any part of the money from the pension, to whom we [undecipherable] it, and return it to you, it may opperate as far as it goes as a discharge on his dues [undecipherable] provided that it is the same <sup>emision</sup> money he received, and the interest on it has not been [undecipherable].
Nath<sup>l</sup> Pendleton [undecipherable]
Nath. Pendleton
Copied
New York September 12 1787
Sir
Jos. Clay Esq. who acted as Deputy PMS to the Southern Army [undecipherable]
had a sum of money directed to him, 'by me,' in the
year 1781, consisting of the new emissions emitted by
the Legislatures under the act of of Congress of March 18 1780
which the escort, to whom I entrusted this business received
from the States, of Maryland and Virginia, and delivered
on the 27 of July 1781 into the hands of M<sup>r</sup>
W<sup>m</sup> Alexander, to deliver to M<sup>r</sup>Clay who was not present to receive
it as will appear by the copies N 1. 2 & 3
on the 3<sup>d</sup> of August following M<sup>r</sup> Clay came to the
place where this money was deposited, and received the
same into his hands, and for which
he acknowledges himself answerable, as appears
by the enclosed copy N 1 also by his account [undecipherable]
rendered on the 31 of August 1781
In May 1785 when I was in Savannah he committed
into my hands his accounts and vouchers for settlement,
among which was included the attested paper N 3
in which he has supposed that
this money never came into his hands and that he
is accountable only for the part he has attested that
he has received.
But in the examination of his accts before the Comptroller
of the Treasury, it has been
determined, that Mr Clay is answerable for the whole
sum, to the United States, because of
his above mentioned acknowledgement, and because
he was the confidential Officer of Congress to whom it
was disputed <s>that [undecipherable] sufficiently informed of its being in [undecipherable]</s> <sup>and by whom it was received</sup>, and that it was his duty and no other persons to have seen to its safety.
It was however the wish of the Treasury Board not to have called on Mr. Clay, but having [undecipherable] to find Mr. [undecipherable] under in has not been heard of, and Mr Clay having informed [undecipherable] that the [undecipherable] had fell with the hands of a Mr Fleur. [Commander?] [undecipherable] he was also [undecipherable] after and on being found, has not produced the money, but on the contrary there is strong reason to believe that he has <sup>lately</sup> disposed of it to his own advantage. The Board [undecipherable] lay so fruitless a [undecipherable], thinks permission to call on that Officer whose appointment and obligation has made [undecipherable] responsible to the public for the [undecipherable], and have therefore authorized and directed me immediately to take the most efficient steps to recover from M Clay, by a legal [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] which he there left in Mr Alexanders hands amounting to fifty seven thousand six hundred Dollars, which is now <s>[undecipherable]</s> equal to [specie?]: log them with the Interest on the same <sup>[undecipherable]</sup> since the state of its emision, which [undecipherable] have been prior to June 1781.
My reason this [undecipherable] for writing to you, is, by the [undecipherable] direction of the Board to employ you as an attorney to collect this money, <sup>from Mr. Clay</sup> in the most direct and effectual manner, as the public interest must not be injured any further, by a delay.
[paragraph stricken]
[paragraph stricken]
When it is [undecipherable] the originals of <sup>such of</sup> the program now inclosed to you, <sup>as you will want</sup> details the [undecipherable] for the support of any [undecipherable], that you shall [undecipherable] this business.
Your [undecipherable] and such up [undecipherable] as your shall be just to in this business I will [be repaid?].
If Mr. Clay should receive any part of the money from the pension, to whom we [undecipherable] it, and return it to you, it may opperate as far as it goes as a discharge on his dues [undecipherable] provided that it is the same <sup>emision</sup> money he received, and the interest on it has not been [undecipherable].
Nath<sup>l</sup> Pendleton [undecipherable]
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (4 pages) | YZW17 (4 pages) | Collection: Miscellaneous Numbered Records (Manuscript file) 1775-1790's. (RG93) (M859) | B:270 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | John Pierce | New York | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Nathaniel Pendleton | [unknown] | [n/a] |