To Alexander Hamilton from James Brice, 19 March 1792
From James Brice1
[Annapolis] State of Maryland
In Council March 19th. 1792.
Sir.
We are informed by our agent resident in Philadelphia2 that there are between nine and ten thousand dollars appropriated for the discharge of the arrears of pay due the late Maryland line for the year 1783.3 As it would be more convenient for the claimants to recieve their money in this State if it can be done with propriety, we shall be obliged to you to pay the money so appropriated to William Campbell4 Esquire the Bearer of this, to be by him delivered to our Treasurer,5 and by him paid over to the respective Claimants.
We have the honor to be with great respect &c
James Brice.
The Honorable
The Secretary of the Treasury of the U. S.
LC, RG 56, Letters 2d Comptroller, 2d Auditor, Executive of Maryland and Georgia, 1789–1833, National Archives.
1. Brice, president of the Governor’s Council of Maryland, became acting governor after the death of George Plater on February 10, 1792. He served as acting governor until April, 1792, when a special session of the General Assembly elected Thomas Sim Lee as governor.
2. The “agent resident in Philadelphia” for Maryland was Christopher Richmond, who was employed in settling the state’s accounts with the United States.
3. “An Act making Appropriations for the Support of Government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two” appropriated “for pay of the late Maryland line, for which no appropriations have been made, ten thousand four hundred and ninety dollars, and thirty-six cents” (1 Stat. 228 [December 23, 1791]).
4. Campbell was a prominent Baltimore merchant.
5. Benjamin Harwood.