226 Letters to the Governor and Council

May 1

in the hands of the people for sale, I am of oppinion M^r Voorhees
of Kent could procure the Corn — the Barge shall be sent down, should
before this, only on Acco^t of the Enemys Shiping, inclosed is a Copy
of an Agreem^l 1 am entering into with express riders I conceive on as
frugal a System as the business can be done on, I am in hopes this
measure will meet the Approbation of Your Hon^l Board, from Sev-
eral circumstances I have mett lately in the transaction of business
it Appears to me necessary some regulation should be made by the
Executive power of the State in the Passage of ferrys within this
State, we are very dependant on the unreasonable Humour of the
Keepers of many of the ferrys lately at Johnsons ferry I had a Pub-
lic waggon detained a Considerable time untill Hard money was pro-
cured to pay the passing it, — delay is often given to Express riders
M. G. Green by Col^o Carrington writes me very Pressing for a
number of Waggons required from this and the Delaware State how
far the State is to Comply I don't presume, but much distress is Occa-
sion'd in the Southern Army for the want of Waggons to make the
Supplies.
Memo: of an agreement between Donaldson Yeates D. Q. M.
for the State of Maryland in behalf of the Public, on the one part,
and Thomas Giles express rider for himself on the other part. Wit-
nesseth that said Thomas Giles, agrees to keep at his own proper
expence, two good and sufficient horses always ready for the business
of Express riding, to do that business that is to ride from this Post
to Harford Town, with all dispatches for the Southward, and to
Mark Elliotts Tavern above Wilmington with all dispatches for the
Northward and as it may happen that the Public business may not
require a rider to be cont^d constantly at said Elliotts in this case
Giles is to include the distance from there to Philad^a in his riding,
to pay his own expences in riding. Ferriages and every other matter
whatever any delay or neglect of Public Papers, if such should a
Long time appear within his riding — he is to be chargeably with and
agrees to give such attention to this business at all times, as to pre-
vent cause of Complaint. For the above services & Expences being
duly perform'd, Don^l Yeates agrees that the said Giles is to have
Three hundred pounds in Specie p Year to be paid in that or other
current money equivalent Quarterly, at such times as it may happen
that the wind is too high for him to Cross the Susquehanah with
his horse, he is to use all endeavour to cross himself & hire a horse
to go on to Harford, in such case the hire of the horse is to be paid
by the Public over and above the sum mentioned, his riding under this
Contract, to Commence from this date. Witness our hands enter-
changeably this 16^th day of April 1781
N. B. Giles has Contracted Vanhorn has agree'd but not Signed
his Contract as yet.