of the Council of Safety, 1777. 35

on the promising appearances our affairs have at present in
the Jerseys, we hope the enemy will soon be driven entirely
out of that State.
A second lieutenant of Col. Hall's Battalion has applied to
us for an order on the Treasury for money: We think some
of the field officers the most proper persons to give out
money to, and our request is that money sufficient for recruit-
ing each Battalion may be given out to the Col. or command-
ing officer of the Battalion where it has not been already done
by the Commissioners. This will be attended with some
trouble, and occasion frequent applications to Congress: we
are therefore of opinion that the easiest and best method
would be for the Honble Congress to supply the Board with
the whole bounty-money for eight Battalions, not already
delivered out to the commissioners or officers, and we will
then- distribute to the field officers and take the receipts and
transmit them to Congress.
Should they not choose to deliver it out to us in that
manner, then request the Bounty money may be given out,
as first above mentioned, to the Colonel or commanding
officer of each Battalion as they apply, & take their receipts
for the same, and should be obliged to you and the other Gen-
tlemen Delegates for this State to apply to congress from
time to time as may be necessary.
We have been deliberating about calling the Assembly, and
are not yet determined. We doubt the severity of the
weather will make it exceedingly disagreable crossing the
Bay and attending the Assembly in the very dead of Winter,
and therefore do not think of calling the two Houses together,
unless the necessity should be more urgent, or the Delegates
for Congress from this State from their knowledge of public
affairs should recommend the calling them before the Day of
their adjournment. Tis very little more than thirty days
before the meeting of Assembly in course; were we to send
expresses immediately they could not be called together
sooner than the first of February; and if we have any better
weather it will probably be about that time. We have wrote
the several Committees of observation to encourage the new
Levies all in their power, and where there are no Committees,
to the Colonels and other chief militia officers. The post is
not come in, we are waiting with impatience for a confirma-
tion of the good news. We are, &^c
To Samuel Chase Esquire.

[T. Johnson, Jr., to Council.]

Gent. Frederick Town 10^th Jan^y 1777.
In Col^o Beatty's Battalion commissions are wanting for
Van Swearingen Jun^r as Captain, Frederick Stample first and

C. S. C.