of the Council of Maryland. 473

Whiskey or Brandy being issued and in as small Proportion as the
Service and Necessity will admit, only when absolutely necessary.
M^r Brookes the Commissary has Directions to obey your Orders.

June 12
Liber No. 78
p. 189

[Council to John Smith Brookes Esqr.]

Both of your Letters of yesterday are received and we wrote an
Answer to that by M^r Crauford by M^r Bowie enclosed the printed
Law. The uncertainty of the Movements of the Enemy at Present
keeps [us] in Doubt, but we think in twenty four [hours] we shall be
on a certainty as to trie Force under Leslie; if we hear of their going
to the Southward, the Militia will be discharged immediately, if
otherwise they are kept in Service, you must be governed by the
Laws in being as to the Delivery of Provisions for them. In regard
to whiskey or Brandy, we request you will procure some for the
Militia of Prince George's County to be delivered out in small Quan-
tities to them when called into actual Service and only at such Times
as the Lieutenant of the County may think it absolutely necessary.

Ibid.

[Council to General Assembly.]

In the Jack o'Lanthorn captured by the Antilope and Felicity were
three Negroes, one the property of M^r John Eden a Subject of this
State, the others we are informed are the Property of some of the
Subjects of the State of Virginia, those Negroes with the Vessel and
what appertained to her have been condemned in the Court of
Admiralty of this State and sold; the Negroe belonging to M^r John
Eden was delivered to him by our Order on his engaging to re-
store him when required by this Board the other Negroes are still
confined in Ann Arundel County Goal. Application has been made
to us in Behalf of the Recaptors for the Negroes, that they may be
delivered to the Purchasers. We have delayed complying with their
request till we could submit the Matter to the Consideration of the

Ibid.

general Assembly and obtain their opinion whether Negroe Property
is or ought to be subject to the Rules of Determination which prevail
in other Personal Property recaptured or whether Justice and good
Policy from the Nature of their Property, the Facility with which
they abandon the Service of their Masters who live on the Waters
do not admit a Departure from the general Rules. We wish to have
the Directions of the general assembly what shall be done with those
Negroes.

p. 190

Wednesday 13^th June 1781

Ordered that the Issuing Commissary deliver to Major Aquila
Giles thirty four Gallons of Rum and one hundred and thirty six
pounds of Sugar due him to the first Instant.

June 13
Liber C. B.
No. 24
P. 93