Delegates to Congress . Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 12, February 1 1779-May 31 1779
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Maryland Delegates to To: Thomas Johnson


Dear Sir
Philadela. Feby. 2d. 1779.

   Your Letter of the 28th Jany. by express we had the Honour of receiving yesterday. (1) By the enclosed Letter from the Commissary General of purchases,(2) you will discover the quantity of flour he expects to receive from the State of Maryland, and also his apprehensions arising from Distillers unless immediate and effectual Measures are adopted to prevent them.

   We have inquired of Mr. Whipple and Mr. Morris who are appointed by Congress to assist and inspect into the Commissary Department, and they inform us that it will not be immediately necessary to call the General Assembly, especially as they are informed, it meets by appointment on the first of March;(3) at the same time they earnestly request you will afford every assistance in your power to the Commissary of purchases.

   By the resolution of Congress the Sum alotted to Maryland is 1,560,000. The reason of her quotas being as large we have related to you in our Letter by the last post. (4) The latter part of your Letter we shall answer by the next post.


We are Sir with the highest respect and Esteem your mo obedt. Servts.

Wm. Paca
Wm. Carmichael
(5)

John Henry Jn


Note: RC (MdAA: Red Books). Written by Henry and signed by Henry, Carmichael, and Paca.


1 The Maryland Council's January 28 letter requesting additional information on the quantity of grain desired by commissary Jeremiah Wadsworth is in Md Archives, 21 :286-87.


2 For Jeremiah Wadsworth's February 1 letter to Gouverneur Morris and William Whipple, the committee superintending the commissary department, see Calendar of Maryland State Papers: The Red Books, 3 vols. (Annapolis: Hall of Records Commission, 1950-55), 3:52.


3 Morris and Whipple were misinformed. See Maryland Delegates to Johnson, February 9, 1779.


4 Maryland Delegates to Johnson, January 29, 1779 .


5 This day Carmichael also wrote a letter to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, which has not been found but was acknowledged by Carroll in a February 8 reply that is in the Carmichael Papers, MdHi. Expressing particular pleasure over Carmichael's report that he had perceived "a general spirit in Congress to examine into the conduct of peculators & Defaulters," Carroll went on to discuss a number of public issues which indicate that Carmichael was keeping him informed of the chief measures coming before the delegates.


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