Council of Maryland, 1781-1782. 21

Satisfaction from your Assurance " that all the Accounts of the
several States shall be speedily liquidated." We doubt not you will
use every Effort to accomplish an Object which must be productive
of so great and good Consequences. Those States which may be
under the pernicious Influence of the Idea, that their Accounts are
not to be adjusted with the Continent, will then have no Temptation
to withold their Exertions from the Common Cause; we can with
Truth assure you, such an Idea is deemed inconsistent with our
Safety, is generally reprobated in this State, and has in no Instance,
restrained our Endeavours to comply with the Requisitions of Con-
gress; and it would give us great Pleasure if an immediate Settlement
could be obtained, as we are fully persuaded we should be found
among the foremost of those States which have done most, and con-
sequently have least to do. To the Accounts against the State, previ-
ous to the Resolution of Congress of March the 18^th 1780, we can,
at present, say but little, as the Principles upon which our Charges
against the Continent must be made, are yet to establish. It may not,
however, be improper to observe that we have a Flying Camp Ac-
count, to a considerable Amount, that we have furnished large
Quantities of Arms and Ammunition to the Continent, that we have
always had a respectable Army in the Field, raised and equipped, in
the first Instance, almost entirely at our own Expence, and that we
have a very large Account of Contingencies. We mention these
Things because no Accounts of them have yet been exhibited, and
not with a Design to conceal under unnecessary Vauntings, our Want
of Exertions. With Respect to the Requisitions of Congress, since
the Resolution already mentioned, we are well convinced that we have
nearly, if not more than balanced them, though unfortunately we
cannot now ascertain the Amount of our Compliances, from the
present deranged Situation of the public Accounts. Our Returns,
which shall be forwarded the first Moment they can be prepared, will
convince you Sir, that we have not over-rated our Exertions; mean
Time, it may not be amiss to remind you, that besides every Effort
to furnish the whole specific Supplies demanded of us, we have been
exposed to very heavy Expences, in a great Measure, unknown to
the other States, particularly in the Articles of all Kinds of Transpor-
tation of Troops and Provisions and the Maintenance of Prisoners.
We have also paid very considerable Draughts of the commanding
Generals of the Southern Army, made upon us under Recommenda-
tions of Congress. Enclosed are all the Acts which have been passed
in this State, since the 18^th of March 1780, for the Collection of
Taxes and furnishing Supplies to the United States; from these you
will judge of so much of the internal Police of this State, as relates
to the laying, assessing, levying and collecting of Taxes. In Answer
to your Enquiries respecting the Amount of the several paper Cur-
rencies now circulating in the State, the probable Increase or De-
crease of each, and the respective Rates of Depreciation; we have to

December 13
Liber No. 78
p. 309