of the Council of Maryland. 27

[Council to The Sheriff of Cecil County]

Sir Basil Williams hath, by his Petition, set forth to us that he
was some Time in the Year 1777 deprived of a Negro Man by the
Enemy whereby he hath greatly suffered, and it appearing to us by
Deposition of the said Basil Williams and the Certificates of several
Gentlemen of Reputation that the said Facts are true and we esteem-
ing it proper that the Collection of the present Assessment of the
said Basil Williams should be suspended, do direct you not to collect
the same or any Part thereof

[Council to Richard Dallam Esqr.]

Sir Your Situation is certainly distressing; every immediate As-
sistance in the Power of this Board has been given in sending you
twenty thousand Dollars by M^r Francis Dallam and we have to
lament that an Agent so truly active and faithful as we have every
Reason to believe you have been, should be involved in Difficulty by

Exertions for the Public Benefit. This Sum, it is hoped, will suffice

for the present, if it is applied to the Payment of those who are most
pressing, and shortly, large Payments may be expected from Sheriffs
of the several Counties: in the mean Time, we hope your Creditors
will be patient. The Continental Treasury in this State has been
drained for the Purpose of sending you this Supply and 8000 Dollars
over and above were drawn from the Treasury of this State to make
up the 20000. We have hitherto in no Instance drawn Orders on
the Sheriffs for the supplying Money to Purchasers of Provisions,
and would with great Reluctance adopt a Measure of that Kind.
M^r Wederstrandt has made frequent and pressing Applications for
Cash and complains that the 12000 Dollars from the Continental
Treasury should be sent you as he actually deposited them

Liber C C

No. 22

p. 42

Thursday 2^d December 1779
Present as on Yesterday. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to William Bruff
Esq^r Two thousand Dollars to be delivered over to Capt John
Hawkins of the 5^th Maryland Regim^t of Continental Troops the
Allowance made him by the General Assembly relating to the Offi-
cers &^ca. —

That the said Treasurer pay to Capt George Keeports, five thou-
sand Pounds to be expended in the Purchase of Linen for the use of
the Continental Army.

Commissions issued to John Browne, James Kent, James Bordley,
William Bruff, James O Bryan John Register Emory, Samuel
Ridgeway, John Fisher, Charles Downes, Clement Sewell Vinson

December 2
Liber C B
No. 23
p. 87