244 Journal and Correspondence.

August 24
Liber No. 78
p. 368

Duty to lay before us the Resources in your Hands, and the Demands
upon Government, and to take our Advice how to make those Re-
sources most productive, and how to apportion the Money arising
from them, among the different Demands. As to the Settlement of
Accounts, you ought to be fully competent to that Business, and we
cannot suppose a Case where it would be proper in you to ask, or us
to give our Opinion upon the Settlement of an Account previous to
your Determination on it. We know you have often brought Ac-
counts to us before you passed them yourself; but from what
Motives? none other that we can suggest, than Fear of giving
Offence to the Party, by rejecting it yourself. That you may not

p. 369

hereafter avail yourself of the Plea of Ignorance, as to the Misappli-
cation of Money arising from the Sale of Specifics, we now inform
you that those Specifics mentioned in our Letter of the 15^th Instant,
appropriated to raise 20,000 £ for the Payment of Creditors, still
remain subject to that Appropriation, and the Pretence that the subse-
quent Act, directing you to sell Specifics to the amount of 50,000£
for Congress, indirectly repeals or supersedes it is too trifling to
merit serious Attention. You shall be furnished with an Account of
the Money we have paid in Part of the 20,000 £, and we insist upon
your strict Compliance with the Directions already given you. We
have omitted to reply to many Parts of your Letter, not from a
Consciousness that they were unanswerable, but because some are
foreign to the Subjects in Controversy, and others mention Conversa-
tions you have had with Individuals, which do not concern this Board.
As you say you are governed by the Laws, it is our Wish you would
seriously and attentively reconsider them, and weigh well the Powers
conferred on you by the Act appointing you, and then determine on
the Propriety of your Conduct, in refusing to comply with our
Directions. Your Determination we doubt not, will put an End to a
Dispute, irksome to us and of no Advantage to the Public.

August 26
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 326

Monday 26 August 1782

Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to Alice Redmond,
Mary Connolly & Mary Huston, each, one Pound, two shillings &
six Pence Specie due them per Accounts passed. —
That the said Treasurer pay to Stewart & Maxwell nineteen
Pounds, one shilling and six Pence specie agreeable to the Act to
adjust the Debts due from this State per Account passed 11^th
June last.

That the said Treasurer pay to Capt Simon Wickes four Pounds,
five shillings — Stephen Hodges seven Pounds, one shilling & three
pence & Hugh M^c Laughlin six Pounds, ten shillings specie agreeable
to the Act to adjust the Debts due from this State per Accounts
and Certificates passed. —