24 Journal and Correspondence.

December 14
Liber No. 78
p. 310

[Council to Robert Morris Esq^r]

Having yesterday wrote you in Answer to the several Letters you
have honored us with, we have now to represent to you, that from
the exhausted Situation of this State, it is not within the Compass
of our Abilities to subsist the Prisoners quartered upon us, without
your Assistance : We have therefore to request and most earnestly
entreat that you will furnish us immediately with a Sum of Specie,
or we cannot be answerable for Consequences. We can with more
Propriety ask this as other States have been assisted by the Conti-
nent in similar Circumstances, and we have hitherto maintained the
Prisoners entirely at our own Expence. It will be necessary that we
have £20,000 in the Course of the Winter, perhaps four or five thou-
sand would answer our present Occasions.

Ibid.
p. 311

[Council to Patrick Sim Smith Esq^r]

Your Letter of the 6^th we have received. It will be indispensably
necessary that you make us the most accurate Return of all the Sup-
plies received and delivered by you and every Expence incurred in
transacting the Business; as this Return is now wanted for the Satis-
faction of the General Assembly, we wish it may be done immedi-
ately. We send you, in Compliance with your Request, three hun-
dred Pounds, but we conceive you cannot think of paying it away
at its depreciated State, as you will be answerable for the Sum re-
ceived, as Specie. The Commissary General has been wrote to, to
give particular Directions to the several County Commissaries, to
dispose of Flour for the Purpose of procuring the Number of Bar-
rels they may want; by your Application, we suppose you have not
received the Information, either from the Commissary General or
this Board. M^r Calhoun will, in a few Days, have a Quantity of
Salt, and has Orders to furnish the County Commissaries : we there-
fore refer you to him for the Quantity you may want; should M^r
Calhoun not be able to furnish you in Time, you may dispose of
Wheat or Flour to purchase as much as will secure the Pork that may
be received by you.

Ibid.

[Council to John Smith Brookes Esq^r]

We have received yours of the 13^th Instant and have sent you by
Landsdale £300. If you cannot procure Salt and Barrels for the red
Money, we would have you dispose of as much Wheat or Flour as
will procure what you may want.

Ibid.

[Council to Charles Blake Esq^r]

Your Letter of the 9^th is received. All the Cattle on Hand fit for
slaughtering we think, ought immediately to be killed and packed
up in Bulk, or Casks, if they can be procured, as you have a sufficient