450 Journal and Correspondence

C.S.C.

Murrays on Hunting Creek, which is also in this county, and
there got from M^r Murray, the Key of a House in which there
was some salt and took from thence by their account fourteen
and a half bushels of salt for which they offered to pay, M^rs
Murray fourteen and one half dollars that she refused to take
the money on which they left that sum in the House and went
off with the Salt.
On receiving this Information we ordered the Evidence to
appear again on a certain day to which Day we summoned
those of the af^d company who reside in this county, and
appeared to have been the most active in the outrage, to
appear to answer, some of them appeared agreeable to sum-
mons and behaved orderly and offered some excuses for the
non attendance of the others under these circumstances and
as some of the most material witnesses did not attend we
postponed the hearing of the matter till Wednesday last, when
we ordered the parties charged and witnesses to attend us
which they promised to do, the Parties charged came on Wed-
nesday, but contrary to our Expectation they came headed by
Capt. Andrew and upwards of one hundred armed men to
support them, and the company behaved so riotous and disor-
derly that it was out of our power to proceed in the Business,
and their coming so unexpectedly it was impossible for us to
collect a force sufficient to stop them before they returned in
the evening. Many of the Men swear they will support what
they have done at the Hazard of their lives as it seems they
have associated to do, and by their declarations against the
present measures of the country and in favour of the King
shew themselves intirely disaffected to our cause.
If these men were all we had to contend with it is probable
our Militia might be sufficient, but from the best information
we can obtain we are of opinion they have a very formidable
number to protect them from Caroline, Worcester and Sussex
in Delaware, and as (since their outrages) several Companys
in this county have taken salt nearly in the same way which
will of course stop them from opposing them if they do not
join them, we are unanimously of opinion that it is very improb-
able there can be in General Hoopers Brigade a sufficient num-
ber of the militia raised, who wou'd on the present occasion
take up arms to suppress and stop the progress of these Riot-
ers and their adherents and bring the offenders to Justice; and
we therefore think it most prudent to decline making the
attempt as a failure would be very detrimental to our cause, and
give Strength and Spirits to their party & Friends. And have
sent this by an Express hired for the purpose to inform your
Honours of what we have done and what we apprehend is
our real Situation, and we would beg leave to Submit to your