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C. S. C
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[J. Scott to Tilghman.]
George Town Frederick County 9th Octob 1776
Sir. Permit me through you to address myself to your
honourable house for permission to pass some time among my
friends in Virginia or if the House can be induced so far to
relax from their sentence to permit me to remain there with-
out any limitation of time, under the restraints which they
have been pleased to lay me under and which I have given
bond with security to the President of the Council of Safety in
the penalty of a thousand pounds sterling to observe. I beg,
Sir, you will lay me with all humility before the House, with
an assurance that I would have addressed them in the first
instance, either by petition or through you, but unacquainted
as I am with bonds and the forfeitures of them, did not know,
but it might be going beyond the line of my engagements.
My principal reasons for desiring to go to Virginia are, that I
have many near and dear connections there; my Fortune
little as it is lays chiefly in that country, and having lost my
living which has hitherto been my chief support, I wish by my
industry, to do something for the subsistence of my family,
which I cannot possibly do while confined to Frederick
County. I have also, Sir the assurance of several gentlemen
of no inconsiderable rank and weight in my native country,
that my residence among them will not only give no offence,
but that they will even sollicitt this House (if necessary) for
my enlargement. That my situation is a most unhappy one
those acquainted with the human heart, will readily conceive
and if my sufferings can be alleviated without any injury to
the public weal I flatter myself humanity will plead powerfully
in my favor. To be held up to the world as an enemy to my
native land: to be deprived of my living in which the laws of
my country had taught me to believe I had a permanent estate,
must sink deep into the heart of a man less attached to worldly
affairs than I profess to be; but the voice of the representa-
tives of the State has pronounced the sentence and I must
submitt to my fate; yet conscious as I am of having never
harboured one thought injurious to the, rights of mankind, I
cannot but hope your honourable house will remit my too rig-
orous sentence and permit me to try my fate in some other
land, where if my inclinations lead me, which I call God to
witness they never have done, it will be out of my power to
hurt this country. If not for my own, for the sake of those
innocents who have me alone to look up to for protection and
support, I hope I may gain thus much at your hands, more
especially as the common rights of mankind were yet pre-
served inviolable in the State of Maryland, give me some
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