576 Letters to the Governor and Council

December 17
Red Book
No. 9
Letter 106
[Signed,
" John
Hanson,
Presidt, By
order of
Congress
Phila-
delphia"]

tricts before their ravages can be Checked. The requisition for the
Completion of your Battalions is therefore not only reasonable but
indispensable.
Tardiness in the collection of our Troops has constantly encour-
aged in our Enemy a suspicion, that American opposition is on the
decline. Hence money, from time to time, is poured into the Coffers
of our enemy, and the lender perhaps is allured by the prospect of
receiving it with an usurious interest from the spoils of Confiscation.
To whom then rather than Yourselves who are called to the
guardianship & sovereignty of your County can these considerations
be addressed? Joint Labourers, as we are in the work of Inde-
pendence duty impels us to admonish you of the Crises. We possess
no funds which do not originate with you, we can command no
levies, which are not raised under your own Acts. Well shall we
acquit ourselves to the world, should peace, towards the acquisition
of which so illustrious a point hath been gained now escape our
embraces by the inadequacey of our Army or our treasure: for an
appeal to this exposition of your affairs will demonstrate our watch-
fulness of your happiness.
We conjure you to remember what confidence we shall establish
in the breast of that great Monarch who has become a party in our
Political Welfare by a bold energetick display of our ability.
We therefore trust in your attention and zeal to avail yourselves
at this important Crisis of the Glorious advantages lately obtained,
by a full compliance with the requisitions of men & money which
we have made to you, the necessity of which hath been pointed out
to us by the maturest Consideration on the present circumstances of
these United States.

December 18

[Wm. McBryde To His Excellency Thos. Simm Lee Esq^r]
(p Capt. Handy)

The Bearer has on Board 46420^ll Salt Beef, Bound to head Elk,
but for Reasons before mentioned, have Ordered him Call on you &
Please inform me what Price to give for Pork Barrels & in what
kind money, Pray Do not load Salt by some of the Vessels, or
Depend on the Pork Received & Going to Receiver will not keep in
hot weather, Excuse this Incorrectness & Hurry.

December 19
Brown Book
No. 1
Letter 46

[G^o Washington, Philadelphia, to His Excellency, Governor Lee.]

You will have been furnished by His Excellency the President
with the Resolves of Congress of the 10^th Instant, calling upon the
several States to compleat their respective Quota of Troops by the
I^st of March next In order to ascertain deficiencies, I am directed
to transmit to the Executives of the States, Returns under particular
discriptions, of the number of men each has in service. The Troops
of your State composing part of the Southern Army, it would occa-