of the Council of Maryland, 1777-1778, 469

[Gov. Johnson to Laurens.]

Baltimore 19^th Jan^y 1778.
Sir.

Your Favor of the 12^th Ins^t was delivered to me last Friday,
I received a Letter also at the same Time, from Mess^rs Samuel
& Robert Purveyance informing me that they had good
Reason to believe that M^r Governere of Curasoa was part
Owner of the Sloop & Cargoe, and that the Captain was
retailing the Salt in very small Quantities at £15 p^r Bushel
and would not sell it to Ingrossers. Before the Receipt of
your Letter, I had been advised by M^r Van Bibber, of the
Arrival of this Vessel, that this was her third Voyage and that
the Captain, in a former one, refused to sell in Gross and had
retailed his Salt at a lower Price than he had been offered for
it in large Quantities. The Council and myself thought it
best that Enquiry should be made, as to the Property of the
Vessel and Cargoe and that, unless the Owners were real
Enemies, a Purchase would be much more eligible than a
Seizure, especially, as the Scarcity of Salt is not now so great
as the Congress seems to have apprehended and I willingly,
came here with that View. The inclosed Affidavit and cor-
respondent verbal Information from several of the trading
Gentlemen in Town is the Result of my Enquiry. M^r Beak-
man is known to some of the trading Men here, and has, as I
am informed by them and others, been always esteemed, not
only a firm but a suffering Whig; what Connexions he has
had here, seems to have been with those who are Whigs.
The Captain says, that he was employed in the Service of the
Congress from New York to Curasoa with a Cargoe, in this
Vessel, to make Remittance for Powder sent to New York by
M^r Governere, and that M^r Beakman offered her Cargoe of
Salt last year to M^r P. Levingston for the Use of the Con-
gress, at two thirds the Price it was sold for at Egg Harbour.
Seeing no Circumstance against Mr Beakman but what ought
to be equally decisive against every Body else now in Phila-
delphia, I have forbore to make any Seizure of the Salt, on an
Assurance, which I have no Doubt will be kept, that the Con-
gress may have it, if they please, at the common selling Price,
which is now 15£ a Bushel, 1000 Bushels at least, will be
reserved for an Answer. One M^r John Davis since I began
this Letter came in and offered me 200 Bushels, just brought
up at £14 a Bushel. M^r William Lux & others have a late
Arrival at South Key North Carolina and will engage to
deliver 1000 Bushels here as soon as possible, they expect
one Half of it within a Fortnight at 13£ p^r Bushel. There
have been several late Arrivals in North Carolina, Virginia,
and in the Inlets on the Eastern Shore, amongst the latter

C. C.

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