Council of Maryland, 1782-1783. 363

ing of Specifics collected of a prior Date : the first Collection was
directed to be made by the 20^th of Aug^t last.
You say the 12000 Bushels collected since September last, you
have ordered to be sold for the Use of the Maryland Line; and yet
the Law expressly directs, that all the Specifics for the Year 1782,
shall be first applied for the Payment of Interest. The Specifics di-
rected to be sold for the Army, were such as were unappropriated,
or such as were paid to sink certain Emissions. If 12000 Bushels
of Wheat only have been received of the whole Specific Tax for
1782, there could have been but a small Proportion of that Quan-
tity paid in on Account of the Sinking Funds.
There is no Necessity of reasoning with you, on the Impropriety
of changing the Appropriations which the General Assembly have
made, and defeating their principal Object, with Regard to Credit.
After having, in the most solemn and formal Manner, pledged the
Faith of their Country " to provide for the constant and punctual
Payment of the annual Interest," the Delay of Payment for even
two or three Months, is no Performance of the Engagement, espe-
cially if the Delay has been occasioned by your assuming a Power to
postpone Creditors to other public Demands, when the Assembly
expressly ordered that they should have the Preference. If, however,
our Address to you on this Subject, should have the Effect of pro-
curing the Creditors their Money within the Time you mention, we
flatter ourselves they will be fully satisfied.
In the Sale of Specifics, no Doubt, a Regard ought to be had to the
current Price, and the Nature of the Demand on the Public. If the
Price is trifling, and the Demand for Money such, as may be
postponed for a rising Market, there ought to be no immediate Sale ;
but in Cases where the Honor of the General Assembly is at Stake,
or Public Faith pledged for a punctual Performance of an Engage-
ment, or where Supplies are granted for the Defence and Protection
of the State; a Sale should be made, with all possible Expedition.
It is miserable financing to wait for a rising Market to get an addi-
tional Price of two or three Shillings on Tobacco, or six Pence on
Wheat, when, in the Mean Time, the Honor of the State is sacrificed,
its Faith violated, its Commerce interrupted, its Citizens plundered
by the Enemy and drove from their Habitations, their Houses burnt,
and Farms desolated, and Property destroyed and lost, to the Amount
of Thousands; while the Public, on the Chance of a rising Market,
are aiming to get so many Shillings and Sixpences

February 19
Liber No. 78
p. 415

Thursday 20^th February 1783
Present His Excellency & all Members. —
Ordered that the western shore Treasurer pay to Jonathan Parker
Express to Frederick Eight pounds, fifteen shillings, and Daniel

February 20
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 387