Council of Maryland, 1782-1783. 319

[W Paca in Council to M^r Zebdiel Potter]

We are favored with yours of the 1^st Instant. The Money received
by your Brother, is the Property of his Estate, and may be disposed
of as his Executor thinks proper.

December
11
Liber No. 78
p. 398

[W^m Paca in Council to William Gibson Esq^r Clerk of Balt^o County
Court]

George Little, Elijah Hughes, James Little, James Hughes, Ben-
jamin Hughes, Abraham Hays and James Norris have applied to
us to remit the Fines imposed on them by Baltimore County Court
at a Court held on the Tuesday before the Monday preceding the
first Tuesday in October 1781. They alledge they were precipitated to
Trial when only three Justices were present, and fined on the Testi-
mony of Sarah Hughes only. We request you would give us In-
formation as to these Facts, who composed the Court at the Time,
and whether any Evidence was given, besides what Sarah Hughes
deposed.

Ibid.

[Wm Paca in Council to The Honble General Assembly]

We have the Honor to lay before you a Letter from Maj^r David-
son, respecting the Distresses of the Soldiers at this Post, for Want
of Cloathing.
The Congress, by their Act of the 7^th of August last, declare that
the whole Expenditures of the United States, shall be from the
Continental Treasury, and that no Credit shall be given to any State
for partial Advances made to the Army or otherwise, on Account
of the United States : and the Financier in almost every Letter, repeats
the Declaration. Under this System, to which the Congress seem
determined to adhere, we conceived it would be improper to supply
the Cloathing or any other Articles, Rations excepted, which are
authorized by a particular Resolution, to the Recruits raised in this
State, and therefore before the Men, who are now naked, were col-
lected, and so early as the 25^th of Oct^r we wrote to the Financier and
the Secretary at War, the Letters N^o 1 and 2, and received the
Answers N^o 3 and 4, in which the Cloathing was promised to be
prepared and forwarded to the Head of Elk, if it could be completed
in Time. Since these Letters, we have heard nothing more about the
Cloathing, and we have no Reason to expect it will soon be obtained.
We are sensible every Deviation from the System of Congress must
be attended with pernicious Consequences, and we should not think

Ibid.

ourselves justifiable in relieving these Men from their present calam-
itous Situation without the Direction of the General Assembly, tho'
it might be done on reasonable Terms out of a late Purchase made
by the Intendant : we therefore take the Liberty to submit the Matter
to the Consideration of your Honors.

p. 399