246 Journal and Correspondence

C. C.

5^o

[Council to J. Stull.]

In Council Annapolis 9^th May 1777.
Sir.
Inclosed you have a Copy of a Letter we received from the
Board of War. We have given Orders for the Removal of the
Prisoners to Hagar's Town, and request your Attention to
them; we shall remit you Money to pay the necessary
Expences. The Officers, if any, are, under the Resolutions of
Congress, to receive two Dollars, and the noncomissioned
Officers and Privates 10/. per Week, for their Subsistance.
We are sorry to be obliged to trouble any Gentleman with
this Business, without consulting him, but we know of no Body
who will more likely than yourself, take the necessary Trouble
or conduct the Matter to more general Satisfaction. If any
Difficulties should occur, be pleased to advise us of them.
We should have sent these Prisoners to Frederick where
there's already some sort of Provision, but having great Part
of our Powder there, we think it very improper.
Col^o John Stull. We are &^ca

51

[Council to N. Smith.]

In Council Annapolis 9^th May 1777.
Sir
We have received a second Letter from the War Office,
desiring the Scotch Prisoners in Baltimore should be removed
back. Frederick Town is the Place mentioned in the first ;
but the Powder's being removed there, we believe is a Cir-
cumstance not attended to. We therefore desire you will
send them under Guard to Hagar's Town, with the inclosed
Letter to Col^o Stull, sending us a List of them.
Maj^r Nath^l Smith We are &^ca

52

[Council to J. Dashiell.]

In Council Annapolis 9^th May 1777.
Sir.
The taking, or refusing the Oath of Fidelity to this State
was proposed by the House of Delegates in the Tory Bill as
a Criterion by which to determine the Person's Attachment to
this State, but that Part of the Bill failed; Wherefore we can-
not consider a Refusal to take it so criminal, as to be a proper
Ground to arrest the Party. The Prisoners we discharged
took it, but it was a voluntary Act. If there should be just
Grounds of Suspicion of an inimical Design against the State,