12 Journal and Correspondence

July 12

[Thomas Price Frederick Town to the Honourable the Governor
& Council]

Gentlemen I Received your favour with the Abstracts of Laws
&c Yesterday Morning by King I shall Emediately enter upon the
Buisiness and will Make use of every exertion in my power to expe-
dite the same the people of this County are now in the hight of
their Harvest & will not I think have it in their power to Deliver
Wheat or Flower in Less then two or three weeks as there is Very
little old Wheat in the County but I shall endeavour to get them to
thresing as soon as their harvest is over, As for Salt meat I beleave
there is Very little to be purchased but what much Surprizes me is
that an hundred Barrels of as good Salt pork as any on the Conti-
nent should be left at this place when it is so much wanted by the
Army it was purchased by M^r George Murdock under the Direction
of the Commissary Gen^l last fall this quantity is over and above
what is Sufficient for this place I beleave the Commissary Gen^l has
been made Acquainted with this Circumstance. I should be glad to
know how I am to Conduct Myself with respect to the prices of Salt
provisions if any should offer one man in the Nighberhood who has
a small quantity of Bacon to spare Asks ten Dollars p^r pound but I
declined taking it.

I apprehend it will be absolutely necessary that I should be fur-
nished with money as there are many people who might spare small
quantities of Wheat Salt Meat &c for Ready Cash that would not
willingly take Certificates.
I wish to be Instructed wether I am to give the prices Directed in
the Act for Recieveing Wheat & Flower for assesments or how I
ought to Conduct myself as to the prices of these Articles as soon as
posable

July 13

[C. T. Wederstrandt, Queen Ann's County to Gov. Lee]
Sir I received yesterday the Letter your Excellency honoured me
with dated the 5^th instant. Sencible of the important trust you are
pleased to repose in me as Commissary of purchases in this County,
I wish it was in my power to execute your orders but my present
situation will not permit me to have that Satisfaction. The almost
insurmountable difficulties I meet with in Settling my accounts as
Assistant Commissary of purchases for want of money to pay where
due, and the pressing call from Col. Blaine to furnish him with them,
must inevitably draw my attention & take so much of my time as to
prevent me to attend properly to a business of such importance :
therefore I must desire your Excellency to accept of my thanks &
to appoint another Person in this Department; meanwhile that the
Service may not Suffer by delay, I shall do my endeavours to your
intentions and am now on my way up the County to see what provi-
sions can be procured immediately & if possible shall make purchase