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that I had required of him; I told him that I was Busy and had not
Leisure at that Time to examine them, nor Money in my Hands to
pay any Ballance that might, on Examination, appear due to him,
but that I would immediately send his Account and Vouchers to the
Gentlemen of the Lower House of Assembly, who would appoint a
Committee to examine them, and if his Account was found unex-
ceptionable, would make some Provision for his being paid what he
should have a Right to demand, and in all Probability allow him a
good Commission, or handsome Reward, for his Trouble.
Accordingly on the 6th of March, 1756, 1 sent his Bundle, together
with my Account, to the then Lower House, with a Message, from
which the following is an Extract :
" Gentlemen of the Lower House of Assembly,
" Inclosed you have an Account how the f 6000 that was Granted
by the last Assembly for his Majesty's Service, has been expended:
As I have not Time to examine Col. Cresap's Accounts, I must desire
your Committee to do it; and have ordered him to attend for that
Purpose."
By the Journal of the Proceedings of the House, it appears that
this Message of mine was taken into Consideration the Qth Day of
that Instant March, and a Committee appointed to enquire into the
Accounts and Papers therein mentioned.
How far this Committee proceeded in the Examination of the
Papers, and to what it was owing that the Gentlemen made no Report
on them, they best know; the Session continued more than Ten
Weeks after these Accounts were laid before the House, and Col.
Cresap attended the Committee, as I have been told, agreeable to my
Order. If the Gentlemen did not proceed for want of any Informa-
tion that they imagined I could give them, or of any Papers which I
could have procured for them, they were much to Blame in not mov-
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L.H.J.
Liber No. 49
Dec. 15
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ing the House to Address me on the Occasion, as they had, till that
Time at least, by your Account, all the Reason in the World to believe,
that I should have most readily given them all the Information, and
have afforded them all the Assistance, in my Power.
Had the Gentlemen of the Committee thought it necessary to have
taken that Step, I will venture to say, neither I, nor my Secretary,
should have been Charged with having exchanged any Papers, of
having taken away one Account privately and put another in it's
Place; or of having done any Thing whatever, which it could be
the Interest or Wish of either of Us, or of your Clerk, to conceal.
Having now told you what I know about the Papers, which you
say were missing out of your House, and shewn the disinterested
Reader, from your own Journal, how others came before you, or in
their Place, as you are pleased to phrase it; I shall leave it to those
that may read your Address, and my Answer, to judge of your Can-
dour, and my Guilt.
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p. 203
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