Letters to the Council. 4²3

Service, by their late acts, that your Excellency and the council have
no other View than to exert yourselves in favour of the American
Army, and to present the evil consequences of monopolizing and
forestalling: but as it is my duty to promote the King's service I
am under the necessity of applying for a peremptory answer, & to
request you'll inform me whether the Effect of the measures lately
adopted will be any ways Suspended and whether you have dis-
covered any solid and well founded reason I^th for not granting the
above permit, when applied to by M^r W^m Smith & 2^dly for ordering
the whole of the provisions to be wrested from him, & the disposal
of any part thereof to be refused; I could have wish'd that at least
after the seizure made by the commissioners, two thousand barrels
of flour and one thousand barrels of the Biscuit had been forthwith
redelivered to M^r Smith, on his giving a receipt thereof; this would
not have been derogatory in my humble opinion to the spirit of the
law, it would not have hindered you from supplying the immediate
wants of the army, nor from discovering the full quantity of wheat
and flour purchased by M^r Smith and would have avoided you the
trouble & importunity of this my earnest address.
His Majesty's Ship the Pendant cannot be retarded on account
of the provisions, and must be relieved with all possible speed, three
Vessels chartered by me & M^r W^m Smith for S^t Domingo are to
leave the shores of America, under her convoy, if no obstacle be
put to their departure, in order to obtain protection against the
enemys cruizers: these reasons I hope will Justify my application
& the necessity of your Excellency's interposition, so as no further
interruption be given to my measures without it should be proved
to be absolutely necessary.
If any Grounded complaint can be made of M^r Smith's transac-
tions in behalf of the royal marine, I humbly request you'll please
to give me notice thereof, so as I may direct my conduct in conse-
quence for the greater dignity and interest of the Service of the
Royal marine

Brown
Book No. 8

[Luzerne Philadelphia to Gov " Simon " Lee]

Monsieur, J'ai 1'honneur d'addresser a votre Excellence une lettre
que j'ecris a M. Cheese et dont je la prie de vouloir bien prendre
Communication avant de la leur faire parvenu. Les inconstances
presentes exigent plus d'union et D'accord que jamais entre les allies.
Cest surtout en vous que j'ai eu Confiance pour le concours du
Maryland, on ne peut recevoir des assurances plus satisfaisantes que
celles qui m'ont etc transmises par M. Plater et M. Forbes. J'en
ignore point qu'ils ne fond que remplir les ordres de leurs Con-
stituans et qu' aucum Etat n'est plus attache a l'alliance que celui
qu'ils representent. J'avoue Cependant qu'il m'est desormais im-

Brown
Book No. 7
Letter
No. 3
February 10