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[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]]

and purchase property which they would not be allowed to pay for according to a plain and true statement of the facts of the purchase and contract. He had a right to expect that Gen Howard and the Bureau would not authorize the purchase of a house & lot and after getting possession of the property & using it for over fifteen months require of the party before payment will be made certificate which cannot be made because not in accordance with the facts.

It is well known to Gen Howard, if he pays any attention to the duties of his office, and if not to him, to the subordinates who have this matter in charge, that a house & lot was authorized to be purchased and was purchased, the house being already built and completed. They must pay for it according to the truth of the matter or they will not pay for it at all. "Mr B" will lose the whole before he will certify any thing different from what the facts really are, and are known to be at the time the contract was made. He will certify that the building in his opinion contains the specified amount of lumber & material and cost the amount charged, for its erection. But he will not certify that one stick of lumber