[Philadelphia] Friday 1 March
An Addition was made to the Salary of Joseph Reed Esqr Secry to Gen. Washington, he had befo[re] 66 Dollars p month it was now made 100 under Pretence that he is obliged to act as Secry to the Naval Departmt too, this was on Motion of [Benjamin] Harrison 2 . . . A Petition was presented but not now acted upon, from a large Number of Philadelphians pray[ing] the Congress to grant Leave for Privateers and Letters of Marque to Seize the Ships of G Britain Ireland and the other British Dominions.
1. Richard Smith's Diary, LC.
2. As Reed had left Cambridge for Philadelphia at the end of October 1775, and did not rejoin Washington during the remaining period of the siege of Boston, the reason for a pay increase might well have caused Smith to use the word "Pretence."
