mill if it at
i
r. '
-.1
in 1 liwuiiiWv...
) k lio"af ni Jeterftiaitioi to fatal with pn$tiili'ty aid'
''good, tab,. ibe jMf aie.iit : witch' bji Mafrlty has
cootracxed y hit treaty with the tfited. State, and Y
-that-they: will be fo!irul;d ta reiiln; their functions,
whenever throbtlaolea which fn?deyth i9(frefof
the comminoaer at rauaacipait mail ds removed.; It
being in like "ner, my CniJere determinati-, fb far ' .';
- at the fam decode onJiM, thaiVithyeouaf ji jnoal- I
ity and good Taitli, the engagement contracted by the
-United States, ia ihiejr trnttettmlh WBiitaauie Ms-
jefty, lull be fuluile'd, I (lull Immediately iaitro$ pa
" ' mioifter attndoor to endeavour to ftbtthett-
atoiWfcaftry;) a jaftf ertiat, ' oeltjaMgei
mriita- fc Afe prtf tt. U.rW Sute,. VTjth facfy
difpoHtiiria oo bdth fl Jei vl cartaof enteriajn a dpuht,;
that all di&cuitiet will Toon 1e removed, and that the.
two board will 'Ihea proceed, and brings' the bufiotf';
committed to them, Wpectivlf y, to; fatisfa&ory Aaa-!
. clufion. '). : 'J.1 V ,-,.; "
The aftlof Coiigreft, Velative fa the, feat of govern-'
able to the reputation of hi country have been torn
jilted: within iti he-'nttf eherilh fome hope' that the
character of the ttate wi'i be vindicated br the eneriry
of the law, and the atle and faithful lo w (ligation
which haa mow been completed under the dire(lion of
the legillature. ; i ' ' ; . '
. ; The original reprirtVal lodged with the papers and
document! to which they refer, in the office of the Se-'
ctetary of the State' -Thofe which I ha e the bo
ndBt tofubhtit ttt yofl ar certified by: hint, ai the of
ficer under whfcfe keean they .have been plated. 1
havehe74oupiiberTithweafi(tTpea and
cuniiucruwD ocnucmew, your, c. , ' w:
.... ,,
- A) ' v
To Hia Etcelleiiey Willi aM k. 'Bimr:
otK.Ki ne V-oraBiiUoaerilor the turr.ier invi.nia
meat of the Uaited'Satea, jeqairinff, t'hat.on thtftftj tiaa' of franda f(8ed to"bave'.beea conimittctl in
it mould bt traaaFerrad 1 the. Secretary a office, bad tne hunoar to iufjrm vnur
Mandar in -DrcemlKi neat, rt mould bt trabtfe
. from Philadelphia ta the Diftrict chofen foriu pcrma-
. neut leaf, II it proper lor m i ;urorai yoD.:jiai tfie:
Qoinmiflljocrs appointed to provide fuitable buiUingi
f(irtlieaccoiq.lodtiol ot Conjreftj and the trefi jeat,
and f$r the public? oBiceW; the Government, have,
mide a report of the ttate of the bbildlnt, devntd,
for thtfe pnrp fe i the City of Wafhiajtti, froni '
whiah ther.cfcachide, that the removal of the feat of"
gojrernment at .the titoe req tired, will be pfaiticaWe,',
and, ch .acfopuiodatid .CkiafaBa'tSf.' Their Hsport,'
will be J4id bttora you
irj Dinger -iwo are Honour ro uiTjrm vonr
Escclleiwy ill theirvmU)f.the ibth of March Uft.
that tliey had met pn she third of that month, bad ad
jonrtied on the rpth n teonfequencc of the abfcnce of
Mr, Oraharu ana" had agreed to mcet again on the
icth May vlt.f--Duri.n jibe ihrtrt time Of oor fittingi
our attention '.Kad been, principally confioed to tlw in
veftif aliftn of the fraudi ptacied " in obtti mne. war
ranta from the , .office lately kept by Joho Armftront:,
and in obtaining grants on Tach warrant."
We might at that ifmiog ( the Board, hive pro
fecuted thia, pari f oardury to a conclufioa, but w
Were arixiout fo obtain hc a ffiftaace of Mn Gtaham i
marki taanat ve ry readily he fyuhd, for. want of a more
I precife reference than that book contaion The cajife
ot thia inconvenience waa a retyiclt from Mr. Whife,
the Secretary, that the waitanta might nQtbeiranfpbffc
ed from the order ia which we raceived thcoi, if , wo
could' avoid it, at it might tend to coul'uf:, in foae
meafufe, the arranfremt-ntt of hit office, "
If however it ftiould Jbe neceffiry to have a more,
prompt recurrence to the warrants, than their prefent
order will pet mitt the Comntifliontri will endeavour to -effeft
it, and will at all timet be highly pleafed to COn
tribute any aflitlance or informatioa in their ppwer.
which might tehd mprefpeeddy.andeltcAuaUjo era,
braoe the otjefti of their appoin'tmeoU-. . , .
The CommiSonert will continue to Ct without ad-
joummcnt, uqtil they, haye completed the whole of .
iiicie luvcniganun ; anu nope ry tne tan tne preient
hioBth, to be .enabled to fur'h youi; Excellency with
a general rfjprt, which, . will perhaps ,be freed from tl
erabarraflmentt and defefta to wiiich a partial Hater
ment la ubiecled. We have the honour, to be", with
rcalrefpcft, your Excellency 't obedient fervantt, .
jjasu. c;aithek,, . --:;r
- SAMUEL D.PURVIAdE.
Copy from the original. Will. Wmtt, 6ccrry, v"
Gtfntlenta of the Hiofc bf ftepriltatativet.
. I fhdl ttireci 'thieftiiltoiy t(tik4oraio3li, e-iJ Jinacquaioted wtb:diwamftaaces which hadoteafi
- eeffary fb theiX ficuofthe:;en pned hit aBftnce. and Toppofing them of temporary
with aHaccouit of the revenue and exf iadii ure, to bef ppefration, we indulged ihe expenation i that he. would,
Lidbefiife"yoi. sp iring a periodrln winch a great;' lat anr frtondTneetinf, .ftiTd it convenienl lo'1lt'rcn6S
.portton) of, ahejciviUzed wofld hat been iovolireflhyn a' We now learn cbat'hit pjfofcffioBaengagciiehta oblige
' war, unufaaitlyrwiimitoul attd dcrtroclive, it wat not' bim to decline die office., ,: ' - '
to be cxatrj, tnaj tae umtea otatet couia be n
- cmpted f ftrat jtraotdiiiaryburtheti. - Although !the
period it no. arrived,' whaa the fiueafurea adopted to
fecore our country ainlt fowiga attack, can ,be re-
-nouncedr-yl it ie.alikc neceflary to the honour oT the
govemmeftt, and the utisadion , o? the : community,
tht in Mlt5?SP'nrSu' oe "'tntained.
iavitc yau Gentleman, to rnveftgate'te'fferefft
branches of jtlic public expeadituree.- The ' examina
tion will lead to beneficiaj retrenchment, or prodace
a coiiWftiott of the wifJo n ol the meafure, to which
-the tToeoditure relates. i
-; Gentlemen of the Seoate, aad
' Gcatlemen of the Houfe of fteprerentativet.
At a period like. theprefeot. wbenmpmenWus
. chaoget .are.occurriiig, arid every, hfjur jj preparing aew
aad great cventt. in the political world when a tpirit
of war it prevalent in almolt every nation, with wbofe
affairs the interest of the United States have, any con
ntAioo, unfafe and precarious would be our fitdation
were we topeglefl the means of maiataining our jull
iighta.lZ.The jefult of theJmiffioo to France U uncer
tain j but hewiver it may terminate, a fteady!perfayer
ance iu i, fyftetn. of , aational defence, commenfurate
with our refjurses, aad the (ituation of our country,
is an obvjom diijite of wifdom. For remotely as w
are placed from the belligerent nations,' and defirbus at
we are, oy,uutoziu nice iu ait, iu iui uncncc io aoy,
We have nowsnBe through an invefliration of foch
of the afetarifin.ffons the pradices in the office of
John Armftpn,. as- had not before been the fubjedli
pf particular ;eKjuiry, we' have not yet completely 4i
fted and it ranged hem f butat it it tke wifh of. your
-Eicellency that the opeiations on thefe ffiovjd corn
jnence as Toon as poffibie, we have now the honour ot
pfefent you whk aiade iketeh of oirnsteweedtiwtt--!
1 nenature ana manner ot the tranUa committed in
th office of John Ai-mfltoiig, wiU prefent themfelves
to your Excellency's obfofvation on an infpeAion of
the books which accotrpaay this note i we will mertlv
1 t I 1 .It M. - - '
l-remar, tbat tte w&oie mats of corrtipuoa u reducible
I .U- Itl : J r
fcrnapr to iuc louowmg ccicriptions :
I ft. An entry i made by one perfon. and the war
rant iffiift in favour of aqptlier, without any apparent
transier except a memorandum on the, entry boo It or
warrant, in the hand-wtiting of Araiftrong, or fome
or hiscleus, taat wich traaster had betn made.- bet
, id. An entry tt made By one perfon, and the warr
rant tTTuea to anotherrwit,hopt even fuch memorandum
of transfer. caje tOg,' &c; .
- 3d. Tranbfers of the enterer's right pave freq'iently
bea made t6 others, by peripns fienine as agents,
when'in truth . no fuch' agency 'was authorised -See
caff gbo See. ' 'Z -','
4th. i ransfers have been made by -fuch unautaorif-
nethinir (bort of the' power of repelling oggreffioM, I ed perfons to themfelvet. So? eae'iQtj, Sec
11 r w . 1 . : . I f '. n e r I ' .L nr.. :. .- - . .
will fecure to onr country a rational profped of efcap-
ing the calamities of war, or- national degradation
As to my fclf, h is my anxious dcfire fo to execute the
trul repofed in e, at to render the people of the U.
States profperaut and happy,' ' I rely, with entire con
fidence on your co oaration, in obje5i equally your
care, and that oar mutual labors will ferve to iacreafe
and confirm Union among opt fellQw-cjticeRs., .and at ;
unmaken attachment to. pur JOverair . , f.. i
United States, . Pec. J,s i709.,V , . ,. . '
ft the Ihnourahlt the Gtnertl Afembly 'if the JlaU tf .
. North-Cammai - -X . . r; . ;
' GiNTi-aattf, ' ' . . , s'
Brfil Giither and amael D. Porviaoqe, Ef juhm,
two of the Cmmiffianert appointed fot the ourpofe
el to have 'been committed in the Secretary 'a office,
and that pt the late John Armftrong, met on the jd
of Mirch, and entered, oppn, tbA paft of he bufioefs
which related to the traofadians in the. laft mentioned
office, sad op the' 6th of June, delivered the report to
- ine marked, A cpntainiag feparate views of the moll
prominerit frauds atmmitted In that officer.
. Tliefa gentlemen continued their ipveftigatioa wkh,
unwearied diligejice uatil the ilth of1 June, when; I
received fro n them the general report,' marked B the
refult of a careful and. accurate .examination of that
mttenfive and complicated fcene oif iojqujty and , fraud
perpetrated in the depvtmtat oT the Secretary of the
,.-Th report ecompaayfnV tKe(rparke.3 ; C cpn-
tairit a claflificatioi of the fraa.Js committed ia obtain
ing duplicate gran'ta,.; r .;V"-v: fy" ;- ". u
... X beg leave to refer the Gwerat 4lT:moly t diefi
ieveral trporta, ia .whiqli'tbefe tfSnTaftioiis are" detail-,
d in a brief but perfoieuaut and mailerly manner';. and
while the citizen mar lament that crimes fjdifhaaut-.
5th; A warrant iflues to one perfon, his name is af.
terwards erafed, and tHatJjffpme "other inferfed?; fw
whom a furvtfy is accordingly made, aadgrant iiTised.
r$tf taft 97, &C. '; '' ' , - . '
' Sth. A warrant Ifue s to one! perfon, the land it fur
vaytd for and granted'to' another, without any aatho
rity whatever. Sue tafe 99, &c. . ,
,7th, Tra'hsfert have beaery frequently forged, a
Turkey .m'aoVWbehilf ot the. transferee; and grant if:
foed to him. See caji 1070 JtcJ ' "
8th. Tiaasfers from the original warrantee have
been forged; and afterwards another transfer., back to
the perfon who forged the Cril tranifer, hat been forged
alfo. See tafe 593,' &c. .'. "' :-'.',; ' . ''' j' " ..V . ;:',
9th. A warrant gets into the hands of a furveyor,
who inftead of furveying if for the perfon entitled,
furvcys it for himfelf, and a grant iffaei accordingly,
See cafr 174.6. &c ; . ' . -
tOfb. Granta have jfTned to perfons claiming under
a piece of paper, purporting to be a warrant, with
out even the (igaature of ,the .Eptry-takci. cafe
123c, kc , ;-;,'"'.'"; "
nth. Two warrants have ifTued on the fanie entry,
and grants have been executed for both. Stecife tj..
aad grants have been executed for the . three. Set tae
7i
: 1
ever,
Sic.
; what-
l yf:-: X--.. -
-., " ,. . ;
lil-U'FU...U.U.'i 'l.J'.M H"n. i' lm,.fimift
3th. Grants have ifTued without, any warrant
r. Si370.aTC.
The name of the perfons bp We be?n principal,-,
ly roifctWrdirt' nefe'Ira'adoietfYh are un-
known to tl.e COoiimiffioner;-The books which acj
company this note .wtll difcOjVer to your Excellency
whorajhe Commit cir
cnmflancts which have InduaeJ their fufpicfon. " .
We fend to ytasr Excellency 'John Armftrong's book
of entries, as alfo the file cpntainingthe fufpeded
warrants upon which we have fdxi.' The ' Commifli-'
Oners would abferve, that '(ban inftaacc may occur,'
ia which the warrant meatiooed ia our book ,of re-
To Hit Excellency William R. Davie, Efquire,
(Jovernor, .c. t Hlie ttate of Nprib.arolina.
SIR The Board of. Commiflionera for tUe further ,
invefligation of frauds committed in llile office af the; '
late Secretary after fitting' Cxty-Jhree Jay,' havis t f
length terminated their enOuiriea, and have now the v
honour to'pJffcient yhrBxcelknc''witb a' geBertl're-.
port oT'tTi'eir proceedings. '
-Yhd-j,j.-jjf ie: jje ;(jatti which tuthorrfe the
aj5pointmcntf the Board, ha defined iheir dtity-to-j:-confift,
in examining the frauds committed in obtain
ing military land warrants, find in obtaining warrant
from' tbe office lately kept by John Armftrong, and ia
obtaining grant on warrant in eitherlof the above .
cafes. The difcharge of this duty has been diligently . .
and eameflljr regarded by "the Board, and, in order
An omit notning by whicb it.mi'ght be ' accomplifhed,
7tlfeybavc VsirefnU every warrant x com-777
mi t ted to beir infpeftion, which ha ifljed from
eitJiex, Cxlifliibiyfi, pcj ?, .jindeppfjjered jvith
ttntion rvcry eircumflance of fraud or' fairnefTwuT-"
which each warrant Was refpedively connected. ' -
In the examination of the military land warrant,
the confideratioiii eiTentialfor the obfervation of the, "
Cowiijiflioiiers, in order' to enable tbem to determine
whether fuch wart ants "we're' fair or fraudulent, appear
ed to T be Tt waT;- Firll "whether the foldier in wbofe
name the warranf tlfue'd, waa entitled tit the land di
rected to be furveyd fii'r him t And, fccondlyi if en
titled, whether le had received a grant for it accord
ingly. The m(Ver-mlk and cettificate weriecurred:
to for llic afcertinment of the fir.tt the laft was dif-
coverable by advening to tlie grafts ifTued on military
warrants f by which it appeared whether the land was w
granted to the foldier in whofname the warrant ifTuea!
'or not. " v; iLi '- -, ,
Thefe warrants, however, having generally been the '
fubjjds of traffic and negociation, the gaants have
been found mo ft frequently to have ifTued, not to the
foldier himfelf, bat to fome perfon claiming as hisaf
fignee. by aflignment endorfed on the warrant; In
fuch cafes it was our duty "to enquire, whether the
f'ght o:ir!iei
dulent transfer, 'or whether. itvwalfair.iy duefbrd" by
his own act, 'or the aft of hit legal leprefentatives. .
In the fcertairimetof thefe particulars we purrj
ed, in fome mcafure, the arrarigemeot of the former -Board.
Wh we drfcovefed a warrant which bore a l!
fitfpicinttt appearance, 'WTe)eded th famei -and put ' '.
down in columns appropriated to that- purpofe.the
number, of the warrant, the name of the foldier, xhc V
number of acres, the name of the peifon by whorn
the warrant was drawn, and f him who afligned it.
he name of 'the perfon to whom it waa affigaed, for
whoot fuweyed,: and to 'wbom granted. I he i?rge
book, marked A, accompanying this report, contains
an enumeration of thefe warrant! thus felefied by the
prefent Board of Cbmmiffioner, on account of fraud "
and forgery, withour remark on each, anwuuTitfng 10
the whoresto' about one thouund military warrant,
H9T6W of tbf?TeTea
iner Board. )"' ".-' ';' '.-''' :-'
fii'many of thefe cffs, . althoHgh the ComtnifSon
en have been able to difcover and detcribe the fraud.
they have, not been able1 to dtlignate the perfons by
w.hofc agency it wa effected. In fome inCUnets, how-1 .
ever, thefe frauds hfve been accompanied with eircum-
Itaocei whicn'induced the Commiluoners to attribute
them to petfoas who the conceived, mull have been
privy therV coromiffion 'the names of Huch perfon ,
art ajrwditiglyrMoiiobed In our' rinarksitii theicatci
to wtiich their practice had extended: Amnigthefei -
yalur Excellency will perceive, that v James Glafgow,
Efq'. the late Secretary, hold a confpicuout pwee too
praflicei attributed to him by the Commtffion'rrtj re -7-
per hap rcfotvabte into .the following defciiptions : , ;.; ;'
ftt. tie hasrllued duplicate wairairts, on the pre-
fumption of the orioinal having, been loft, without.
any evidence to that effect, and before the ifluihg of ? v,
duplicates wa autho'lifed by any aft af the Affrmbly. -
ad. He has iUued two warrants to tbeiame loldiar, -.
iy.Y
'I: