"From Alexander Hamilton to Pierce Butler, February 19, 1794", Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-16-02-0034.
Lewis, James A. Neptune's Militia: The Frigate South Carolina during the American Revolution, (Kent, OH: The Kent State University press, 1999.)
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Jonathan Burbridge SC1001
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Thomas Burbridge SC1002
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to William Burbridge SC1003
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to John Carlile (Carlisle) SC1182
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Asa Cole and numerous others as sailors and officers on board the Frigate South Carolina SC1926
South Carolina Audited Accounts relating to Joseph Crown et al. SC1723
In the decades following the conclusion of the American Revolution, there were numerous efforts on the parts of individuals to recover funds expended in or be monetarily compensated for their roles played in the founding of this country. Numerous of these efforts were simply seeking back wages for services rendered in the course of the military struggle. Others were for compensation for expenses incurred in providing for the care and sustenance of patriot troops and their attending livestock. As has been seen in this overall blog, some of these efforts were successful while others were less than successful or even outright failures. Some of those efforts were honest, righteous, and deserved to be recognized but, failed for one reason or another, usually for lack of "proper" documentation. With the passage of years, we have built up in our collective memories the image of the sturdy, diligent and quite selfless patriot resisting with all his might and main the strength of the British Crown and finally, against all odds, winning the independence of the United States of America. Then we see the erstwhile patriot cheated of his rightful dues by an ever growing and ever impersonal government that quickly forgets the debt owed to the men and women who fought and suffered for this country in the epic struggle. The examples of this governmental neglect are all too numerous in our collective past and cause the modern day American to shake their heads at this overweening governmental attitude and exclaim loudly about how we have forgotten the true heroes of the past. But, through all these emotions, relevant as well as misguided, we need to keep sight of the fact that these were real flash-and-blood men and women who possessed their own vices as well as virtues. Sometimes, the vices could get the upper hand and exercise their machinations, either unintentionally or quite intentionally, as may be the case. It appears to the writer of this blog that the following post contains a case of the latter of the two traits and, when discovered, raised a firestorm of response from the State of South Carolina in the early 1800s.
In 1808, one attorney at law, Asa Deloziair, was paid for expenses incurred concerning his efforts to get back pay for several individuals who had served on board the frigate South Carolina. All this pertinent information is contained within the South Carolina Audited Accounts document that was examined in detail in the following post of this overall blog:
"Possible Members of the Second, Brief Cruise of the Frigate South Carolina: From an Examination of the South Carolina Audited Accounts - " and posted on 08/03/2020.
Each of the men who were collectively grouped together for this appeal were covered in as much detail as could be found concerning them within this specific post.
Asa Deloziair did indeed receive the appropriate funds for representing these men except the interest on these accounts. For some unstated reason, Asa Deloziair was declined to receive the interest on these accounts. At a future unstated date, Asa Deloziair wrote the following petition:
"The Petition of Asa Deloziair [indexed under Asa Delozeair and signed as such] Attorney for Sundry Persons praying that Interest be allowed him on monies paid for services done on board the Ship South Carolina
Claims
The Honorable the President and Members of the Senate of South Carolina
The humble Petition of Asa Deloziair sheweth That he as Attorney for the following named persons viz. -
Asa Cole
John Edwards
Joseph Ashard
Joseph English
Isaac Clarke
George Patterson
John Liet
John Spencer
John Ervin
Samuel Bullfinch
Roland Sandiford
Catherine Bantilion Administrator of Andrew Dice
Susanna Stoy Administrator of John Stoy,
who were officers and sailors enrolled in and served on board the Ship South Carolina Commanded by Commodore Alexander Gillon -
That under the Act of your Honorable House passed in December in the year 1807 he made application to the Comptroller General for several sums due the above named persons, for their services on board of said frigate and that your Petitioner received from that officer a warrant on the Treasury for the amount of Principal only the Comptroller stating to your petitioner that he was not authorized by said Law to allow Interest on said claims.
That your Petitioner prays your Honorable body to direct the Comptroller General to calculate the Interest on the amount which has already been paid and to pay the same to your Petitioner as their attorney.
And he will ever pray,
S/ Asa Delozeair"
At some undetermined point in time after the drafting and delivery of the above formal appeal, "...The Petition of Asa Deloziair ... Attorney for Sundry persons..." was just as officially and formally answered as such:
"The Committee on Claims to Whom was referred the Petition of Asa Delosier [sic] as Attorney for Certain persons whose names were enrolled on the Portage Bill Book of the Frigate South Carolina for interest on a Sum of money Paid him on their account in the year 1808 - Report that they have duly considered the same and find that there has always been a sum of money in the Treasury unemployed and unproductive of Interest out of which the State of South Carolina was at all times ready to pay the amount of the debts due to the said Claimants and only required them to produce such Proofs of their Identity and Authority to claim, as would justify the State aforesaid in Paying over the amount [paper torn and text missing] due - your Committee have to observe [paper torn and text missing] similar use to this before them - Interest was [several undeciphered words] the Petitioners, but your Committee are of the opinion that the Honorable the Legislature was activated more by Commiseration for the forlorn and destitute situation of the Petitioners, then from a Conviction of the justice of the measure - And that this Act of theirs ought not to be considered as a Precedent by which they should in future be governed - your Committee therefore of opinion that the Prayer of the Petitioners ought not to be granted."
The decision of a formed and functioning committee of the government to deny a request for funds was usually final in nature. Only if the petitioner could muster additional evidence and supporting affidavits of the veracity of their claims could they hope for an overturn of a decision to deny their claims. But, something about this petition must have alerted the committee to investigate further. It would be these further investigations that would open up a case of extreme criticism and damning critique from the government of the State of South Carolina upon the person of "...Asa Deloziair...Attorney for Sundry persons...".