176 Journal and Correspondence

C. S. C.

Bonds, Security to the State, & forfeited the Penalty by
comission of most of the within mentioned crimes. Of such

who have supplied the Kings Ships with Provision, and kept
up a constant intercourse with'them, of those who knowingly
aided, and convey'd the Public Prisoners on Board, of those
enrolling in the Kings Service, during the War under Callolo,
of those advising the Soldiers of this State, & the Continent,
to desert, & not only harboring, but supplying them with
Arms to defend themselves against being taken. And lastly
what can be expected from the Inhabitants of a Place which
becomes the Reception of Deserters, escaping Prisoners, and
most of the Disaffected who have been expelled the neigh-
bouring States. These Facts being unquestionably proved, &
in many Instances admitted, wou'd not had to demonstrate
that Religion was the original cause of those Events, yet this
is urged as the Principal motive in every Instance, tho there
are some Exceptions wherein Ignorant men from their
Religious Attachments have been deluded (those are readily
distinguished & to be pitied) yet by far the greater number
conceal their true motives, & make Religion a Cloak for
their nefarious Designs; and you may relye on it, there
are few circles of the like Extent in New York or the Jersey
States, which abound more in Disaffected People. I have
been flatter'd that it will be in my Power to collect 1500
Blankets in those two Counties, for which purpose have
appointed proper Persons to receive & pay for them, & to
facilitate this & other Purposes, have required the Militia
Reg^ts to meet on different Days at their usual Places of Ren-
dezvous, to be reviewed, bringing what Blankets can be
spared, this will afford a better opportunity of making such
discoveries as may be necessary, respecting their Numbers &
Sentiments, the State of their Arms & Discipline, and may
probably pick up some Recruits, which was a great Induce-
ment for this Order, but am afraid my design in this last
Instance will in some measure be frustrated, by the conduct
of some Gentlemen of the Baltimore Comp^y, who in general
behaved well 'till they were discharged, after which if they
have not disobeyed Orders they have descended to a degree
of Petulance which in this Instance as Gentlemen and well
wishers to their Country they ought to have held them-
selves above whilst under my command as Gentlemen I
made it my particular Duty to treat with Politeness and
gave them every Indulgence & from a consideration
of their respective circumstances & situation in Trade & to
oblige discharged them the 10^th Ins^t before it was consistent
with my Duty, or the Exigency of the States, at the same
Time informing Cap^t Sterett, and others of his Comp^y, that