of the Council of Maryland. 51

lation certain Bills of Credit emitted by Act of Assembly; you will
perceive, on Perusal of the Act, that a Power is delegated to you, in
Case His Excellency Benjamin Franklin should die or decline to
accept of the Trust reposed in him, to appoint one of the five Gen-
tlemen nominated in the Act, Trustee for the Purpose of carrying
the same into Execution. In Case either of those Events should
happen we request your Excellency to transmit a Copy of the Act
to Mess" Russell, Grove and Hanbury, Trustees appointed by the
old Government and desire their immediate Answer whether they
will transact the Business, sell out the Stock, accept and pay the
Bills drawn in Pursuance of the Act If they will execute the Trust,
we would have them directed to sell out the Stock immediately and
place the Money in the Hands of some capital Banker in Amsterdam
or Paris, subject to their Draughts in Case Bills should be drawn
on them. If the Trustees decline acting, we desire you would send
the Trustee appointed by your Excellency, a Copy of the Act with
similar Directions to those above. As the Proceedings of the General
Assembly of this State; relative to British Property, may reach your
Excellency as soon as this Letter, we think it necessary that you
should be precisely informed on this Subject to prevent Misrepre-
sentation and to obviate any Difficulties that may occur in the Trans-
action of this Business.
The House of Delegates, during their last Sessions, proposed a
Bill for the Seizure and Confiscation of all British Property, to the
Use of the State, except Debts due from the Inhabitants of this State
to the Subjects of the King of Great Britain; this Bill was rejected
by the Senate, not because they were against the Exception, but
because they deemed a Seizure and Confiscation of British Property,

at this Time improper, so that British Property here, continues in

the State it ever was We have only to request so much of your
Excellency's Attention to this Business that the Design of the Act
may not be frustrated for want of a proper Person to execute it

Liber C C

No. 22

Wednesday 5^th January 1780.
Present as on Yesterday —
Ordered That the western shore Treasurer pay to Thomas John-
son Jun^r cl. to the Governor and Council seven hundred and Eighty
three Pounds, six shillings and Eight Pence the balance of 2 Months
Salary to the 1^st Instant.
That the said Treasurer pay to William Hyde Eight hundred and
thirty three Pounds, six shillings and Eight Pence due him for 2
months Salary as Ass^t cl. to the Governor and Council to the I^st
Instant.
That the said Treasurer pay to Robert Reith Messenger to the
Governor and Council, Three hundred and fifty Eight Pounds,

Liber C B
No. 23
p. 97