Annotation
[1] AES, DLC-RTL. Lincoln's endorsement is written on a letter from Major General William W. Burns, February 12, 1863, asking an investigation of the stoppage of royalties on a tent which he and Colonel Ebenezer S. Sibley had jointly patented and which the army had adopted in 1861. Stanton replied on February 14 that payment was stopped by order of Secretary Cameron ``probably on the ground that an officer in the service cannot charge the government for the use of his invention,'' and added that upon his own request for an opinion, the judge advocate general had likewise decided against the payments. ``The ruling is not satisfactory to my mind. . . . But the claim being decided against by my predecessor and by the law officer of the Department whose opinion . . . is entitled to great consideration I have not felt myself authorised to allow a claim. . . .'' (Ibid.).