10 Letters to the Governor and Council

January 8

at £300. Con^l p C^t the truth of this your possibly know whether so
or not. I think you had better send Salt as soon as Possible to cure
about 5 or 6 M w^t. — if you think this small Quantity of Pork worth
Attending to. You^l please send by first safe hand about four hun-
dred Pounds of the New Emission of money, as the wheat purchace
has taken near all that has been sent.

January 9

[Chas. Blake, Corsica, to Governor Lee]

I yesterday rec^d y^r Excell^cys of the 27^th Ult^o M^r Earle wherein
you desire me to purchase all the beef and Salt that is for Sale here,
at the same time you limitt me to for Pork that will not
command one pound. I am left at large in the price of beef, but as I
suppose you would not have me exceed the price you allow for Pork
I shall stop till farther directions as that price will not do. In y^r letter
of the I^st of Dec^r now before me you desire me to purchase what
beef and Pork I can, at the same time recommend me to attend to
the publick Interest, which I hope I have done, by never raising the
price of any article wanted, but followed the private purchasers when
they had fixt the price. For beef I have given £150 p^r h^d and for
Pork 3f hard at an exchange of 75 and in one instance 85 for 3013.
M^r Tilghman offer'd me 6000 at that price which I rejected not sup-
posing he could gett it, however in a few days he sold odd of 2000
for a half Joe p^r h^d and 300 at 3£ Gold exchange 85, when I gott
these a third time he was offr'd 3£ gold for the remaining part but
they differ'd about the gutt fatt, I then thought it time to strike for
the State and not lose so fine a parcel of that necessary Article, which
is the only time I have exceeded the exch^g of 75. At the Head of
Chester the price is 225 M^r T. Emory offerd me his Pork (at the time
I thought it might be had lower) for 225 I would not give it.
M^r Hutchings bought it at that price. From these and many other
instances which might be given I hope y^r Excell^cy will be convinced
I have always had the Interest of the State in View. The purchase
has been chiefly carried on in hard money and you must know the
ex^g is above 40. I shall be ever happy in doing every thing in my
Power to contribute towards forwarding the establishment of our
Independence

January 9

[John Smith Brookes to The Hon^ble The Governor & Council.]

I had the honor this Morning to receive your favour by M^r

Hutchinson covering me £250 of the new money. I shall pay the
strictest attention to your orders respecting Beef being purchased
on the Hoof and shall do my utmost to execute the business.
The present is princepally to request you will forward my salt,
with the utmost haste as I have received a quantity of pork which I
cannot salt up untill I receive it from you.