Written by Colonel Brooks to Major General Knox. Says he had a long conference with a Massachusetts legislative committee on half-pay pensions for the state's officers. Says they finally agreed to report "a state of facts," but did so without expressing their minds on the subject. Says the report was sent to the Court and as a result Dorr (from Massachusetts Senate), General Artemas Ward, and Lowell (from Massachusetts house) were added to the committee. Says the committee received a letter from a member of Congress [Massachusetts Continental Congressman Samuel Osgood -- see GLC02437.01730] that urged the state not to fund the pensions. The letter claims half-pay for life is "unequal and excessive." Reports that the letter is now being used against the officers. Says the house deferred the decision until the third Wednesday of next session. Says they will continue to lobby in the meantime and that "General Ward has taken an unexpected & decisive part with us." It seems that Ward was able to have the house vote delayed despite what appeared to be a near unanimous opinion against the pension. Received Knox's letter of 8 October and says Ward wants to excerpt it to help them in their cause. Postscript says he wrote General Heath a description of the vote, but not in as much detail as this letter to Knox. Seems to want Knox to fill Heath in. See GLC02437.01629 for an earlier dispatch from Brooks on the same subject.