S8 Journal and Correspondence

August 30
Red Book
No. 26
Letter
No. 87

if enquirey was order'd it might easily be made Appear, M^r Gibson
being a Public Officer & well acquainted with our situation as to
provisions I had not the least thought that he wld deceive me in
regard to the delivery of the flour I often askd for it & as often
had his promise to finish the grinding as soon as possible and on
the very day I heard of his send^g the flour and as I was with him
&: had his Promise to deliver the flour & that 100 Barrels was then
ready. When he sent the flour off I stoped the Vessel till he agreed
[hat the flour should be sent to M^r Smith in Bait, as flour seized by
me & returnd him, for flour he was under Contract with Hutson for
This flour was deliverd by the Skipper to M^r Smith as my flour, but
he could not obtain any receipt for it & M^r Smith I am told is paying
Hutson for it at the present Price 2of upwards higher then it w'^d
have cost had he received it as seized flour not having Power to
seize the flour I could do nothing more then I did Altho, I could
prove it was actually made of my wheat. I have been so much en-
gaged of late with other Business that it was not in my Power to
be so attentive to that Otherwise the Public should not have lost the
flour.

With reluctence & sorrow I say I meet with but few People Who
are not taking every advantage of the Public they can I have been
most Raskelly imposed on with recruits & Deserters it was impossi-
ble to know the deseption till too late.
Several Deserters Who I can not get apprehendd for any reward
I can offer are through their Friends applying to get the Liberty
of Procuring Substitutes by them to get discharged Last evening
I was offerd 100 Bushels of wheat to get a discharge for one Who
will not be taken. If your Excellency thinks Proper to allow me
liberty to make terms I shall use it only for the good of the State
And I cannot help recommending some such plan as the public will
get something by it & be no looser for were those men to be taken
they w^ld be of little use at Camp

I shall use my best endeavours to procure what provision I can
but the Business must be attend^d with considerable expense I must
have assistants to ride through the County & I know not what I
may be allowed. I sent round the County to buy salted meat &
could obtain none, that Business cost me a sum that may be thought
extravagant.
I am so convinced that nothing can be done without Cash that I
think it time wasted to attempt it. Wheat I Expect will be bought
in for the 15 p C^t Tax & if Your Excellency could order to this
County 400 or 500 Bushels Salt to be exchanged for wheat it wld
be better then Cash. I am sorry to trouble your Excellency with so
long a Letter especially as its to little purpose.