116 Journal and Correspondence

September

21

a half dol: you may rest assur'd that I shall procure it on the best
terms, and hope I shall be able to gett it at that price, which is as
much as has been offer'd here yett by any one. you also mention
the propriety of keeping those directions secret, I will know that if
they were known, I should gett no more at that price I hope you
will now put it in my Power to give a Satisfactory answer to the
question daily asked me, are you yett in Cash? and I hope I shall
be able to make a very Satisfactory return, a great deal of wheat
has been offer'd which still remains on hand for want of Cash

September

22

Red Book

No. 5
Letter
No. 96

[Daniel of St. Thos Jenifer, John Hanson, John Henry Philadel-
phia to His Excellency Thomas Sim Lee, Esqr.]

Gent. This will be handed to you by Col^o Blane who will lay
before your Excellency and Honors, A Resolve of Congress, recom-
mending to the State of Maryland to furnish five hundred head
of Cattle, for the immediate use of the Army. The great distress
the Army have for sometime past been under, and which still
Continues for want of meat, have induced us to approve of that
resolution, and beg leave to recommend it to your Excell^cy and
Honors, as a measure absolutely necessary to be Complyed with;
and hope you will give Col. Blane every Assistance in your power
in procuring them if by Complying with the above resolution a
Deficiency in the Quota of Meat heretofore required by Congress
of the State of Maryland, should be Occasioned, we think the State
will stand Justly excused.

September

22

[Jas Calhoun Baltimore to His Excellency Thomas S. Lee Esqr.]

Gentlemen I was favoured with yours of the 16^th & have agreed
with a Butcher to supply what Meat M^r Donnellan will have occa-
sion for at this Post for the present, at 4 Dollars p^{r tt} which is less
than Salt meat would cost, several persons have offered to contract
with me for a quantity of Beef but none will agree to take less than
four Dollars p ^tt.
There has very little flour come to Market since I wrote you last
except what was previously engaged by M^r Mathews & M^r Will^m
Smith from the neighbouring Millers. M^r Mathews tells me you
have permitted him to purchase any quantity the Bank at Phila-
delphia may want & he has given as high as £ 70 p C^t for some I
must give as much or cannot expect to purchase any, a good deal
has been promised me as soon as the Farmers have done seeding but
almost every one that has anything to sell object to being paid in
the new money. Many of the Merch^ts agree that it ought to pass
and seem willing to take it others declare they will not. I could wish
to have the opinion of the Town in general concerning it but am
afraid to risque a meeting on the Subject M^r Foe has pass'd some