January 1-December 31, 1781 303

[Joseph Ford, Leonard Town, to Gov. Lee.]

I am Honour'd with Letters from Your Honorable Board of the
5. 9. & 11^th Instant that of the 11^th enclosing an Order on the Col-
lector for Fifteen Thousand pounds of Tobacco. I have been col-
lecting Cattle Agreeable to Orders and Must say for that part of the
people that I have been with that they parted with them with willing-
ness I shall be able in Ten days to forward my number and must
observe that there is at Least one Thousand as much exposed. I do
immagine that it will not be wrong to send those steers Returned on
Hand forward with them many people here would willingly discharge
there Class money in Bacon but it is determined here that it was
not the intention of the Assembly.
M^r Archibald Campbell Merchant in this Town has Two or Three
pieces of Oznab^gs and a few pieces of Low priced dutch Linnens for
sale I applied to him for them he says they belong to M^r David
Stewart Baltimore and that Stewart has already furnished large
supplies for public use I should have taken them Agreeable to Law,
but was of opinion that such goods were to be had in Baltimore on
better terms as these were brought from there he has promised me
not to sell them till I get directions Respecting them which I Hoped
your Excellency And the Honble Council will take under considera-
tion and inform me what I shall do in the matter the Enemies Ships
has left Potomack except the one thought to be a flagg, without doing
any damage Except the Burning one M^r Blackstones House

June 19
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 70

[H. Hollingsworth, Head of Elk, to His Excellency, Thomas Sim
Lee, Esqr, In Council.]

And Please your Excell^y & Honours On examining the Flour that
is come to hand Manufactured for the state I find part of it very
badly handled, and put up in bad casks, and those being not nailed
or lin'd makes them still worse, and in one quantity a mixture of
Indian Meal among the Flour, as this quantity comes from a distant
county, shall omit mentioning names at present, but shall give them
at full length hereafter some of the Millers I have spake to on the
Subject of their flour being bad who say the Wheat was not good,
or well cleaned, this leads me to mention one clause omitted in my
last (viz) that all wheat received in the specific supply shall be clean
and Merchantable and shall weigh at least fifty eight pounds p
Bushell, or if it should not weigh that, (p Bushell) that it be made
up at least, of good clean Merchantable wheat, as to casks I need not
say any thing on them, as I never saw a good one come from the
lower Countys; I think it would be necessary that the Commissary of
each County keep at least two of the Teams now collecting to assist
collect and forward their provisions and that corn be admited in part
of the Specific supply as tis very much wanted, I hope your Excel-

June 19
Red Book
No. 30
Letter 86