New York 25th Octr. 1786.
I beg leave to trouble Your Excellency with my present
embarrisment, viz in Stating my Account with Coll. Walker. The
Commissioner for the Marine department. I made the United States
Drs. for the following Entry viz “to extra Stores laid in for
Eleven Gentlemen Passengers Recommended by Doctr. Franklin and Mr:
Scheweighauser, Agent which Gentlemen, Shippd at Nants Brest &ca
and came to North America, as Cabbin passengers at 10 Guineas
each, in July 1778 viz
this was when I was in France under your
Excellencys Orders and Commanded the ship Providence than lying at
Pinbeef and there received your Excellencys Orders to take under
my Command the Frigate Boston and Ranger Sloop of War and being
all ready for Sailing for Brest I received a writting Order from
Mr. Scheweighauser Continential agent, to take on board the above
Named Gentlemen Passengers.
Having no time to send up to Nants, to the Agent, for Stores for
them and determined to fullfill your Excellencys orders As the
agent Assured me, the Gentlemen came from Paris, and that it was
Your Excellencys Orders they should go to America in the Ship, I
immediately furnished the Necessary Stores for their Comfortable
Accomodation, and they all arrived save with me at Boston in
October.
I delivered my Accounts to the Navy board in Boston in 1778, but
could never get them settled. And am now here upon Extra expences
for that very purpose. They are at length nearly closed but
however the Commissioner Coll Walker did not think himself
Authorized to Allow me this charge (for monies I advanced out of
my own private purse and have never since received a Single
shilling therefor) by reason I could produce no proper Voucher,
for its support.
I must here Observe that by a resolve of Congress: the Agents
are directed to lay in Stores on these Occasions, and most
unfortunate for me, I have either mislaid or lost Mr.
Scheweighausers Writting Order.
From the report made by the Commissioner here to Congress why it
could not be Allowed. I judged it necessary to prefer a Memorial
to the Honble: the Congress stating the particular circumstances
as above related whereupon they were pleased to Order. Their
Commissioner Coll Walker to allow it: provided I could obtain Your
Excellencys Certificate that such Orders did exist or were given.
Thus circumstanced, If from the distant period of the date, or
more Urgent business this single transacion should have passed
unnoticed in Your Excellencys Minutes, or book of Entry, If these
are not to be referred too. I still flatter my self it is yet
possible, Your Excellency may recollect some traces of these
Circumstances, and thereby inable me, to have this reasonable
charge allowed me, in my present, and final Settlement and tho of
much less real value will still be of infinite Use to a reduced
Servant of the US And Your Excellencys most Obedient Humble
Servant