FREDERICK A. MUHLENBERG
(1750 - 1801) Lutheran clergyman elected to the Continental Congress and first Speaker of the House of Representatives. Good content war date A.E.S. on the bottom of a manuscript address written on behalf of Private John Enmenger of the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment, 1p. legal folio, Philadelphia, Mar. 1, 1780 to the Continental Congress petitioning for relief after the soldier was blinded from a wound at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778. The petition reads, in part: "... Petitioner has been near four Years in the Service of the United States as a Private...and received a Wound at the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey with a Musquet Ball which went in at one Eye and came out at the other so that he is totally deprived of Sight and thereby rendered unfit to perform any kind of Labour to maintain himself and his Wife. That you Petitioner receives no more than half Pay being twenty five Shillings pr Month and half a Crown pr Day in lieu of Rations amount he whole... to five Pounds pr Month, which is not nearly sufficient for one Weeks Subsistence; That therefore your Petitioner applied to Col: Nochola, requesting him to permit him to live in the Barracks and to draw Rations as the other Invalids do But Col: Nochola refused his request and referred him to the Honble. the Board of War; Who on Application made to them declared it was out of their Power to extend any Relief to your Petitioner and Advised him to represent his Case by Petitioner to your Honourable House..." Muhlenberg notes, at the bottom that "The above Petition was read in Congress this Day who was of Opinion the unfortunate Man ought to make Application to the legislative Authority of the State of Pennsylvania Vide Resolution of Congress Aug 26th 1776 & May 27th 1777. Fredk. A. Muhlenberg" A classic case of getting the runaround from the government! Light toning at folds, else near fine condition.