of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 21 1

I was impressed with a grateful sense of the favor conferred
on me. The more so as it was unsolicited. But their recom-
mendation, for reasons which I am in some measure at a loss
to suggest, did not meet with the approbation of the conven-
tion. And a Lieu^t of a younger company in another Battalion,
who was not recommended by the Committee to any office
was appointed, whose experience was not conspicuous, and
whose assiduity in promoting the good of the cause we are
justly engaged in did not exceed my own, The first Lieu^t of
my company was promoted to the appointment of first major
in the same Battalion, by which means, was I to accept of the
Commission I should be under the Command of one who was
formerly an inferior officer in a younger Company, and of
another who was an officer under me, These reasons I hope
will appear satisfactory to your honors and Justify my resig-
nation, especially as I find it impracticable for me, with Honor
under those circumstances, to render my country that service
which I was inclined to do I would not be understood, as it is
far from my design, to cast reflections on the conduct of the
Convention or that I suspect them of being partial in the above
appointments. I rather am inclined to believe it has proceeded
from their being deceived by persons who they may have
depended on for information in this opinion I am the more
confirmed, from the many resignations of Commissions, and
from the complaints of the people on account of the appoint-
ment of Field officers in this district. I am Gentlemen
Your very obd^t serv⁽ Philip Thomas

[Rumsey to Council.]

Joppa March '/. lyyG.
Gentlemen. I have received a Lre from Lieu^t Col^o Henry
Hollingsworth of the Head of Elk in Cecil County, relative to the
guns in which he informs me that M^r Johnson had acquainted
him that I had some credentials or orders from the Council of
Safety to him relative to the making of Arms and praying that
if I had to dispatch them forward by the first opportunity as he
had given the matter out, that the workmen were dispersed
and must be collected again which he was willing to do out of
a hearty wish to forward the service. I have wrote him in
return that the Council had delayed to answer his Lre until
they should be ascertained of getting of locks, that the Diffi-
culty was in some measure removed by the expectation of
importing a quantity of them and I did not doubt but the
Council would answer his Lre on their getting to Annapolis
that it would be necessary he should have a pattern as all the

C. S. C.