504 Journal and Correspondence.

Mays;

expecting it necessary. I will however continue to go on, till I receive
your orders to desist, had I cash I have no doubt I could procure
a considerable quantity.
p. S. the Board of Adm^y at Phil^a sometime past requested me to
apply for some Cannon lent this State, to this application I have
not rec^d any answer I'll thank you to enable me to give the necessary
information.

May 27

[Robert Harris To his Excellency Thomas Sim Lee Governor of the
State of Maryland and the Honourable the Council of State.]

The Memorial of Robert Harris of Baltimore Town Humbly
Sheweth to Your Excellency and Honours.
That Your Memorialist and Several of the Inhabitants of the
Counties of Baltimore and Harford from the Severity of the past
Season and other unavoidable Causes were obliged to consume the
Residue of their last years Crops of Indian Corn and from the
known great advantage of having it upon their Plantations in prefer-
ence of wheat or Wheat Flower and from the present almost un-
practicability of obtaining that so beneficial an Article upon Delib-
eration conceived an exchange of Wheat Flower with a different part
of this State where less quantities of Wheat was raised would be
the most probable and advantagious Method of furnishing their
Families with such quantities of Indian Corn as was absolutely neces-
sary for their support not apprehending it by any means contrary to
the Laws of this State to Exchange or Barter Articles prohibited
to be exported out of the State for other prohibited articles within this
State for the necessary consumption of their Families. In pursuance
whereof they agreed with the Master of a small Schooner Boat to
transport a small quantity of Wheat Flower consisting of Forty
seven Barrels from Baltimore Town up the River Potomake and to
return such quantity of Indian Corn from thence to Baltimore Town
as might be procured by your Memorialist therefore And that Your
Memorialist was entrusted by the other Gentlemen to make the ex-
change In Consequence whereof the Flower on the 24^th Instant
May at Mid Day & from a public warf was laden on Board the
same Schooner in Baltimore Town and that upon the evening of the
26^th Instant for the want of a favourable Wind to stand down the
Bay Your Memorialist put into the River Severn for a convenient
Harbour where a Certain William Middleton upon your Memorial-
ists declaring he had Wheat Flower on Board the Schooner from an
apprehension of Your Memorialists intentions of cqnveying it out
of the State Seized and brought your Memorialist to this City where
at present the wheat Flower and Vessel is detained From the State
of the above Facts which are strictly true Your Memorialist appre-
hends that the Vessel and Flower cannot be legally seized and de-