22 Journal and Correspondence

July 22
Red Book

No. 7
Letter
No. 178
July 22

when desired, & we shall not fail to return the Whole, the first
moment we have it in our power

[Jno. C. Harrison, Cambridge, to The Hon^ble Thos. S. Lee Esqr]

S^r I am sincerely sorry to acquaint you that the Salt Provision
in this County is chiefly carried up the Bay & that I cannot flatter
myself with being able to procure more Bacon than 2500 or 3000
W & perhaps a very few Bbles of Pork the Prices I have adver-
tised are 6os for Bacon 1000 Doll^rs p B" for Pork & for Wheat
Flour & Beef agreeable to the Assessment Law. The Crop of Wheat
being extremely short that Price will not induce the People to part
with it, 2 silver Dollars p Bus. having been offered & the Current
Price of Flour is much higher then 67..10..0 p C^t from these con-
siderations I should be glad you wou'd be pleased to inform me if
I may exceed the Prices for Wheat & Flour in the Assessment Law
for the Quantity that may be offered over the Specific Tax and how
much, & whether you woud wish me to exceed the Price for Pork
as I am of opinion that a few B^bles more may be had was the Price
greater, though that Price is equal to 125ss at 60 for one. If the
State of the Treasury is such as to afford me 10 or 12000 pound &
the Collector exerts himself it will assist my purchase in the Wheat
& Flower & add to the Bacon & Pork My engagements on Account
of M^r Wederstrandt last Winter not being complied with is an evi-
dent disadvantage to the present purchase, many of the Farmers
from whom I bought last year having suffered considerably by not
receiving their Money are cautious of trusting me again others being
furnished with Certificates sufficient to pay the whole of their Money
Assessments will not part with their Wheat or flour but for ready
Cash.

July 23

[Nath'l Potter to Gov. Lee]

Sir I Received yours of the 5^th Ult. on Sunday the 16^th and been
Riding Every Day since and am Sorry to tell you That I have not
been able to ingage above one thousand l^b of bacon and but one bar-
rell of pork. The price of pork I am to Give is 1125 dollars p bar^ll
and Eight dollars p^lb for bacon itt being heretofore Given by private
persons there is some more bacon I have heard of but Cannot see the
person he being on a Journey from home but am informed his price
is twelve dollars p^lb if you incline I should Give him his Price I shall
be under an Obligation to Give itt to others as one price is Equally
due to all. I am fully perswaded many people amongst us have
Bacon to Dispose of but the Cursed Spiritt of disaffection makes
them deny They have any for Sale it is probable I may be able to
procure between two and three Thousand weight if I am permitted
to Give the high price they will ask and Can be able To pay them
in Cash on the delivery but without Cash I Can do nothing as That
article seems to be as scarce as provision.