Council of Maryland, 1781-1782. 243

12/6 the short Hundred, and after your appointment, he setled his
Account and paid for what he had received at that Rate. At the same
Time we agreed to continue to supply him with Flour on the Terms
of the first Contract, 'til a new one should be made. All these Cir-
cumstances you were acquainted with, and you knew that Rawlings
did not deny his Engagement, and yet, contrary to Law, contrary to
the Interest of the State, and contrary to the Opinion of this Board,
you have undertaken of your sole Authority, to give up one Shilling
in the C^t w^t for all the Flour received by Rawlings from the Time
of his first Settlement, 'til the Time you made a new Contract with
him, in April. We can pardon Mistakes which flow from a Desire to
serve the Public, but as your Conduct in this Instance, could proceed
from no such Motive, you must expect to answer it to the Assembly,
to whom we are persuaded, it will be necessary for you to adduce
more powerful Reasons to convince them that 11/6 is more than
12/6, than those with which you have favored us. We are obliged to
you for your Hints respecting the Propriety of attending to the
Forms so necessary to give Validity to Agreements; hitherto we have
principally regarded Substance, but we will endeavour to profit, even
by your Example. Permit us in our Turn to observe, that if you had
attended to any Thing but Form, in your Agreement with Col^o
Rawlings, we should not now have to lament the most injudicious
public Contract we have seen. You have agreed with him for Flour
at a less Price than it is selling for in that Part of the State, and if
Flour should fall, there is to be a Deduction, even from that Price,
but if it rises, the Public is not to be benefitted by the Rise. Your

Letter gives us the first Information that there is a Diversity of

Opinion between M^r Steward and this Board, respecting his Agree-
ment to build the Galley, and we should have imagined that you, at
least, had made up your Mind on the Subject, before you reported
to the Assembly, the Circumstances of the Case. We have a written
Memorandum of M^r Steward's Engagement, which we are pretty
confident he will not deny, and though not dressed up in all the
form and Pomposity of Office, will be found equally as valid and
effectual. When you deny our Right of calling on you for Informa-
tion, respecting your official Transactions; we cannot be surprized at
your conceiving that you have the Power of inspecting our Proceed-
ings with as little Ceremony as you would use to any Officer of
Government. We could admit you had consulted us as often as you
pretend, and yet deny that you had obeyed the Directions of the
Act, in any one Instance. You cannot be so weak as to imagine that
you are to advise with us, only in the little Business of setling Ac-
counts, bargaining for trifling Quantities of Specifics, and consulting
us in the common Transactions of Business, while you are left at
Liberty, as to the great Outlines of your Office. We are sorry to be
so often obliged to remind you of what you ought to do. It is your

August 24
Liber No. 78
p. 368