January 1-December 31, 1781 429

[John S. Gerock, Min. Balt^re Town to His Excellency Sim Lee, Esq.
Gov and the Hon^ble Council]

Honourable Gentlemen. Your Excellency and the Hon^ble Mem-
bers of the Council kind Condescension to comply with my own &
Capt. Furnivals humble & joint request, regarding the enlargement
of my Son now grievously confined these Seven weeks past on infor-
mation and mere suspicion, could not but impress us with Senti-
ments of the profoundest respects and grateful Acknowledgment
which we beg leave cordially to express and testify by these presents.
As in our own humble opinion, to be bound in the penalty of one
thousand pound Specie for good behaviour during this present War
between America and great Britain and to stay in a Single County
only, seems to be a most grievous and Severe punishment, and will-
ingly to submit to it previously to a Lawful trial and judgement of
the general Court, to be nothing less than a voluntary Acknowledg-
ment of guilt: We think it therefore a mere impossibility for us or
any body else to comply with terms the fullfilling of which is out of
our own or any mortals power because the present destructive & im-
poverishing War between America & great britain might continue
for another Seven years and my Son by Providence be called or led
to another Town County or even State he being already 28 years of
age, Single & no where fixed or Settled as yet, but in conscience
bound, to provide honestly for himself and as a free Subject to use
all Lawful means for his own Self preservation and competent Sub-
sistence; when it would of course be merely impossible for myself
or any man to answer for his Conduct and behaviour, should he be
absent distant and out of my Sight reach inspection influence or
direction.
But as we are most willing and ready to do every thing in our
power for the Safety and Satisfaction of our State, we in humble
Submission offer the proposed and herewith inclosed Bond to Gov-
ernment, which as we hope, being approved of, we humbly beg Your
Excellency and Hon^ble Council will be pleased to make out an order
to the Sheriff of Frederic County for the imediate discharge and re-
lease of my Son Sam^l Gerock After his trial at the next general
Court, where we suppose and have just reason to hope nothing will
be found against him and the charge be declared groundless, we
humbly beg and hope, my Son will then have this bond returned and
see himself restored to the full enjoyment of all the Rights Liber-
ties and privileges of a free Citizen, he being from thence forward
by his Loyalty and the obligations of all the Laws Sufficiently bound
to good behaviour and restrained from doing any wrong or harm,
in comon with all the other Subjects of the State.
We therefore humbly entreat and request Your Excellency and
Hon^ble Council to favour this our Cause to grant our joint prayers
for the release & enlargement of my unhappy Suffering Son, to allow

August 20
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 15