Henry Knox to Tobias Lear, 27 August 1793
Henry Knox to Tobias Lear
[Philadelphia] August 27. 1793.
Dear Sir.
Please to inform the President of the United States, that it is understood, that David Allison is not the Secretary of Governor Blount, but that he has been occasionally employed by him.1
That in all the money transactions, or payments, in which Mr Allison has been employed, he has settled his accounts to the entire satisfaction of the Accountant.
And that he has now given bonds for the faithful discharge of the trust reposed in him, to the amount of eighty thousand dollars.2 Yours sincerely
H. Knox
secy of war
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DLC:GW.
1. The question of Allison’s employment arose because earlier this day Knox had recommended his appointment as “paymaster of the troops & Store Keeper” in the Southwest Territory, and GW felt that it was “an impropriety” if he also served as a secretary for Blount (, 232). The confusion resulted from the fact that Allison, while carrying out his military responsibilities, often delivered correspondence between William Blount and officials in Philadelphia (Knox to GW, 21 April 1792, n.1).
2. For Allison’s responsibilities at this time, see Knox to GW, 27 Aug. 1793 (second letter), n.2.