January 1-December 31, 1781 561

of the Rations, during the Winter to the Guards & Fatigue parties
here. I also requested a supply of Money to make the necessary
Purchase of Liquors for that Purpose. I have now further to add,
that the great Quantity of Hay & Corn I am obliged to impress
the Number of Hands I am obliged to employ in slaughtering &c &c
makes a Supply of Money the more necessary at this Time. If you
will please to recur to my last, of the Date mentioned above, where
these several Points are spoken to more largely, I perswade myself
you will judge your Instructions not unnecessary.

December 3

[Jas. Calhoun, Baltimore, to the Council.]

M^r Griffith informs me that two Men which he had sent out to col-
lect Cattle for the state went to the Houses of Johannes Bop and
Henry Wareham two ignorant Dutchmen who had three head of
Cattle for Sale, but finding they were wanted for the State and
would be paid for in Paper Money they sent them out of the way,
upon which application was made to two Magistrates, who gave
judgment for their forfeiture, for the use of the State agreeable to
Law. M^r Griffith is of opinion that these Men were unacquainted
with the Law and their conduct proceeded more from ignorance
than any other motive and as they are poor Men that it will be hard
to take their Cattle without any compensation therefore hopes your
Excellency & Hon^ble Council will please release the forfeiture and
allow him to pay for the Cattle

December 4

[Jas. Calhoun, Baltimore, to the Council.]

I had the honour to receive Yours of the 28^th Ult. requesting me
to make an immediate return of the Provisions received on Public
acco^t
Before your letter reached me I had wrote in the most pressing
manner to the different County Com^rys or their returns expecting
they would be wanted at this time, but have not yet been able to pro-
cure them, I hope they will come in pretty generally this week how-
ever I will at any rate make out the most perfect one that it is in my
power to do in a very few days and either take down myself or
transmit to your Hon^ble Board. I last summer made out a form of
such a return as I deem'd most proper which was sent to every com^y
in my district with a request that they would without fail furnish me
with one agreeable to that form regularly every Month that I might
be enabled to make out a general return & transmit you Monthly,
but many of them pay not the least regard to this request although
repeatedly urged to a complyance therewith
I can at any hour make out a return of all the Provisions that
have passed through my hands but that is a very small part of what
has been supplyd by the State
36

December 4