of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 479

Difficulties & Dangers. From every account and appearance.
The King and his ministers seem determined to hazard every
thing upon the success of the Sword without offering any
Terms to America which she ought to accept. That Peace &
Security which every virtuous man in this Country has so
earnestly desired seems not attainable in the present disposi-
tion of the ruling powers of Britain. We wish we had any
reason to suppose, there was any foundation for what M^r
Smith reports to have been told him by Cap^t Hammond & L^d
Dunmore, but all circumstances strongly oppose the Supposi-
tion of Commissioners, as Messengers of Peace. However
we know not more of this matter than you & the public do,
and it is impossible to speak certainly upon this or any other
subject without more full information than we have. We will
send the Gun carriage, Instruments & paper by M^r Steward
who informs us he has sundry articles for the Province to be
sent from hence. We begg to be informed frequently of the
State of the Province and of your Proceedings; and assure
you of our readiness to attend your Commands. Our hurry
and necessary attendance in Congress must apologize for
this Scrawl. The question for postponing the declaration of
Independence was carried by seven Colonies against five :

We are with great Respect, Gen^l y^r most Ob^t Serv^ts
Phil^a June 11^th Mat. Tilghman
1776. Tuesday. T. Stone. J. Rogers.

Wednesday 12 June 1776. Met according to Adjournment. Present the same mem- bers as on yesterday except Mr Tilghman. Mr Hands attended. Ordered That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay to Col. Joseph Sim forty seven Pounds eight Shillings and four pence on Account of the Prisoners from North Carolina ; Also One Pound seven Shillings and six Pence for Mr David Craufurd on the same Account. Ordered That the said Treasurer pay to Capt Nathaniel Ramsey One hundred and eighty one Pounds one Shilling and ten pence on Account of his Company. Ordered that the Commissary of Stores deliver out of the Magazine at Baltimore Town nine half Barrels of Gun- powder, the Property of John Smith & Sons, imported in Cap- tain Tibbitt, and lodged there, to them or their Order. Ordered That the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay to Capt Peter Adams sixteen Pounds four Shillings and six Pence on Account of his Company. Ordered That the said Treasurer pay to Mr Robert Cum-

C. S. J.