To James Madison from Andrew Dunscomb, 24 November 1784
From Andrew Dunscomb
Commissioners Office; Richmond
Nov: 24. 1784.
Sir,
To accomodate the late Officers of the Regular Line of this State and others on their settlements, I have to request Your influence for leave to bring in a Bill granting power to me to administer the necessary Oaths or Affirmations in the execution of my official duties.1 With esteem and regard I am &c
Andrew Dunscomb2
FC (Vi). A letterbook copy, addressed to JM, “In assembly.”
1. On 15 Nov. JM was appointed a member of a special committee of five directed “to inquire into the progress made by the solicitor with the continental commissioner.” On 30 Dec. committee chairman Edward Carrington reported on the unsatisfactory condition in which nonexistent records and restrictive directives had placed the commissioner, and successfully moved that the Virginia delegates in Congress be instructed to procure the authority Dunscomb sought along with additional powers. The Senate concurred on the following day ( , Oct. 1784, pp. 23, 97–98, 99).
2. Maj. Andrew Dunscomb (ca. 1758–1802), a native New Yorker and Revolutionary veteran, succeeded Zephaniah Turner when in Aug. 1783 the latter resigned as the confederation commissioner appointed to settle accounts with Virginia. Later settling in Richmond, Dunscomb from 1792 to 1795 served successively as common councilman, alderman, auditor-treasurer, and mayor ( , 8 May 1782; Vi: “Records of the Common Hall,” 2 Ms vols., I, 254, 273; II, 7; ViHi: Madge Goodrich, “Mayors of Richmond,” typescript, pp. 11–12; Andrew H. Christian, Jr., A Brief History of the Christian, Dunscomb, and Duval Families [Richmond, 1909]).