66 Letters to the Governor and Council

February 12

[P. S.] I Rec^d A Letter from the Bearer for the Collector of the
Tax for Somerset County & sent it to him immediately & Likewise
the Letter for Coll^l Dashiel.
I am Concerned in a Brigg of 60 foot Keel, Lying in Nanticock
& Launched the Other day, Deep Waisted & Pierced for the Gunns,
Should you want such a Vessell will Sell on Reasonable Terms

February 12
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 67

[U. Forrest, Phila, to Gov. Lee.]

I have (without being able to effect it) taken every pains to dis-
pose of the Tob^o which your Excell^cy put into my hands — that Article
will not sell here without it is on the spot, and Inspected: indeed the
Maryland Tob^o is in great discredit; tho £130 might be obtain'd for
any not of a very inferior quality.
Not being able to make sale of the Tob^o has put it out of my power
to procure the Goods required. Notwithstanding every article in your
list is to be had here and that too on much better terms than I ex-
pected Blanketts & soldiers Cloathing will not be higher soon, Linen
& fine Cloth I apprehend will rise.
I wish your Excellency & the Council had order'd your Tobacco
to this place; There does not appear to me to be any other way of
getting clear of it to advantage; and I am sure the difference in
Prices of the Goods required for your Army is much more consid-
erable than is generally immagined
As there is no probability of my getting any thing done with this
Tob^o I shall set of for Annapolis in a day or two where I apprehend
I ought to be as soon as possible
It is impossible to say how much Injury may arise from Maryland
not being represented in Congress; besides the Capital Question of
laying a duty on all imported goods (with some few exceptions
only & then too meerly to gratify the whim & Caprice of particular
States) Congress have under Consideration the appointment of all
Civil Officers the different departments have all undergone an entire
reformation there is to be one more only at the Head of the four
great departments who are to Rank & be stiled as follows — first the
Minister of Finance 2^nd the Minister at War, 3^rd Sec^y of the Marine
dep^t & 4^thly Secre^ty for foreign affairs. Now if Maryland was repre-
sented the Confederation could be signed which would prevent two
Evils the first and most Capital is that it would exclude the Members
of Congress some of whom are making Interest, or at least are named
& expect the appointments, or some of them. The second and per-
haps lesser Evil is that three States are now represented by one

member -which member has a vote, when Maryland & one other

State have each a member who remain Cyphers, I presume M^r
Carroll will inform you what news we have from Spain by a Vessell
that arrived at this port yesterday & an Acc^t of the damage done the