Folder 18
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles RIdgely of Hampton
25 February 1817
Incl. letter from Kerr to George Graham, Sec. War

"On my arrival at Annapolis, on the 8th instant, I found that the state of the papers in the Executive department, relating to the expenditures in calling out the Militia during the late War, was such as to render it impossible for me, in any short time, to prepare such a statement or classification of the claims on the Government of the United States for reimbursement therein...In short, Sir, I perceived that a duty would devolve to me, which the labour of months would alone enable me to perform to draw into order that chaos of militia accounts which the confusion of the period of their creation had prevented from being then regularly classed and stated against the United States..."

Kerr went to DC to secure support of members of Congress and to lobby the War Department. He sought an appropriation from Congress but was turned down. Notes that the war claims of Massachusetts had just been rejected by the War Department. A bill in Congress to pay all states' claims was rejected.

Kerr to Graham
22 February 1817

Lays out Maryland's arguments justifying its claims for being reimbursed--Federal government responsible for national defense, militia was acting in place of absent Federal defense, etc.

Folder 19
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles RIdgely of Hampton
26 October 1817

"I have expected, with much anxiety, to receive the Abstract of Militia Accounts, which Mr. Pinkney [Ninian, Clerk of the Council] was instructed to prepare. The approach of the session of Congress makes me solicitous to be ready, at the earliest day, to present to the Government of the United States a digested statement of our claims, in order that they may be placed in the proper department in such a specific form as may induce an immediate determination as to their allowance or rejection. A final decision of the administration upon our demand, at an early period of the Session of Congress, is important, as, in the event of a denial of reimbursement, the subject ought to be brought before the National Legislature with all the zeal and ability of our representatives therein...." Requests that Governor ask Maryland's Congressional delegation for their support and "zealous co-operation."

Folder 20
John Leeds Kerr to Sec. War John C. Calhoun
28 January 1818

Report and statement of claims; Maryland's justification for reimbursement:

-Maryland took steps necessary for defense of the state--steps that U.S. Gov't wouldn't/couldn't take

-Amount owed to Maryland: $155,000 for militia pay; $126,000 for militia supplies; $6,000 for other militia expenses, etc; total 291,364.01.

-Summary of war in Chesapeake, April 1813-Fall 1814; listing of attacks by British

-Burden on Maryland higher than other places: a lot (the most?) coastline to defend, lots of high-value targets: BC, AN, DC

-Del. and NH got paid back

-"A war...is the war of the United States, and its whole burthen is to be borne by the Union."

Includes 7 exhibits--correspondence to and from Gov. Winder re: defense of Maryland, Spring and Summer 1813; original letters (all?) in State Papers.

Reference to report by Sec. War to House of Reps., 7 March 1816 <---get this!

Folder 21
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles RIdgely of Hampton
14 February 1818

"Sir, I have the pleasure to announce to you that I have obtained from the Honorable, the Secretary of War an order to the auditor of his Department, for a settlement of the claims of Maryland on the United States, for the militia expenses incurred during the late War with Great Britain; and I am assured that the same liberal policy, which has dictated the assumption of this claim, will be continued to the detailed adjustment.

John Leeds Kerr"

Folder 22
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles RIdgely of Hampton
14 February 1818

Copy of above letter.

Folder 23
John Leeds Kerr to Sec. War John C. Calhoun
21 July 1818

"Sir, The present engagements of Mr. Hagner being such as to render it impossible for him to enter on an examination of the vouchers of the Maryland claim, so as now to bring it to a final settlement, I feel it my duty to renew the proposal I had the honor to make to you in February last, that an advance of money be made in part payment of this claim, as, I understand, has been ordered in similar cases. I flatter myself that a very slight view of the vouchers now in your Department would authorize this measure, and as the expenditure by the State of the amount now claimed to be reimbursed, has a little increased her finances, the sense which is entertained of the first policy of the General Government, in having assumed the claim, will be greatly strengthened by the measure proposed.

John Leeds Kerr"

Hohn C. Calhoun to John Leeds Kerr
8 August 1818

"Sir, Upon an examination of the appropriation to pay the states such balances as may be found due to them from the U. States on settlement, I find I cannot advance to you more than $40,000 on account of the claims of the State of Maryland. That among will be paid to any person properly authorized to receive it."

Folder 24
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles RIdgely of Hampton
3 August 1818

"Having waited for a season of leisure, the most convenient, as I supposed, for the officers of the War Department, I presented myself there on the 21st Inst., for the purpose of proceeding in an examination of the vouchers of the Maryland claim, which has been assumed by the General Government. I had the mortification of being informed by the officer to whom the adjustment of the account was particularly referred, that it was not practicable at the time to take it up, but I was assured that as soon as it should be convenient, the accounts of Maryland would be attended to and that I would be duly notified.

After my repeated attendance at the Department of War, on our subject, and the delay occasioned by the [personal?] engagements of it officers, in other concerns, I felt it my duty to renew to the Secretary of War the proposal I had before made to him, in February last--that an advance of money be made in the meantime, in part payment of our claim, as I understood had been ordered in similar cases. For this purpose I left a note to the Secretary, urging the justice and propriety of such a measure, but I thought it wholly unnecessary for me to remain at Washington till a decision should be made on this subject, as it might be as well communicated to me here [Easton]. I have not received an answer. With regard to the final adjustment of the account, I have made an arrangement with the 3d Auditor, to go to Washington, whenever he shall inform me that he is ready to proceed..."

Folder 25
John Leeds Kerr to Ninian Pinkney
3 August 1818

War Department adjusters working on NH claims; is there additional documentation in Pinkney's custody that can be organized and sent?

Folder 26
John Leeds Kerr to Mrs. Pinkney
25 August 1818

"Madam, I have just now had the honor of receiving your letter of the 21st inst., by the mail. As I have just received a letter from the Secretary of War authorizing a draught for a part of our claim in advance, & no letter from Mr. Hagner the auditor appointing any time for my going to Washington, I presume I shall not be called there before Mr. Pinkney's return..."

Folder 27
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Charles Goldsborough
7 January 1819

"Sir, Having waited from August last till the opening of the session of the General Assembly for a notification to attend at the Department of War for the purpose of a final adjustment of the Militia Claim, my anxiety was much heightened by a sense of its immediate importance in the financial arrangements of the state....I have received from him [the auditor] a reply dated the 21st ulto., that it was still impracticable for him to state how soon it would be in his power to take up the accounts of Maryland..."

Folder 28
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Samuel Sprigg
5 August 1820

"Sir, At the time I last had the honor of seeing you, I was proceeding to Washington for the purpose of removing, as far as I might be able, the objections to sundry items of the Claim of the State against the United States, contained in the Abstract, which was sometime since transmitted to me, from the Department of War. ... The Secretary has had my views of the case under consideration and has, since my return however, required some further explanations on particular points, which were immediately forwarded. A suggestion was also made to me of the propriety of procuring certain additional proofs, in support of some of the vouchers, which I am taking measures to do. I do not deem it necessary to transmit to you a copy of the remarks submitted by me to the Secretary of War in support of the suspended items, as they were in the abstract, which is not at present in my possession, and without which they could not be understood."

Get the abstract!

Folder 29
Paul Hagner to Gov. Samuel Sprigg
20 November 1820

"Sir, I have this day audited the accounts of the State of Maryland for disbursements made for the pay and supplies of the militia in the service of the State of Maryland during the late war with Great Britain, and have according to law, reported the Accounts to the Second Comptroller of the Treasury for revision. By the Statement made out of this office, there is an apparent balance due the State of Maryland of Ninety four Thousand, Seven hundred and Ten dollars 21/100. As soon as the revision shall be been completed by the Comptroller, you shall be informed of the final result of their investigation."

Folder 30
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Samuel Sprigg
22 November 1820

"I regret that it is not yet in my power to report to your Excellency & the Council a decision of the Secretary of War on the items of the State's claim...Since my last communication to you further explanations have been required by the Secretary of War and have been made to me in the most satisfactory manner which was in my power...In my last communication to the Secretary of War, in anticipation of a final settlement of our claim, I made a demand of interest to be paid on such portion of it as shall receive the sanction of the government, and I proposed the time when the claim was presented for payment as the most reasonable period from which it shall be calculated." Offers apologies for lack of progress in obtaining money for state.

Folder 30
John Leeds Kerr to Gov. Samuel Sprigg
2 December 1820

"I have the pleasure to inform you that I have this evening received by the Mail a letter from Mr. Hagner dated the 29th of November [sic? actually 20th?], in which he states that the accounts of the State of Maryland had been at last audited & that according to the statement made in his office the balance due to the State amounts to Ninety four thousand Seven hundred and Ten dollars and twenty one cents, subject to the final decision of the 2d Comptroller. As the report of Mr. Hagner doubtless had the previous approbation of the Secretary of War, there can be very little doubt of this sum being soon paid to the State. Mr. Hagner assures me that when the accounts are returned to his office by the Comptroller, I shall be furnished with a particular statement of differences between the amount claimed by the State & that allowed by the United States. I feel much satisfaction in the prospect of a speedy close of this long protracted liquidation of the State's claims."