As a Member of a Committee of Congress appointed to confer with the directors of that most laudable Institution the Bank in this City, (2) I have the Honor of informing your Excellency & the Executive of the State of Maryland that John Nixon & George Clymer Esqrs. are directors of the Bank which was instituted for the Sole Purpose of relieving the distresses of our Army. Those Gentlemen inform Me that they have given orders thro' their factor to Messrs. Smith & Matthews of Baltimore to purchase & forward Flour for the Use of the Army to this City. I have therefore the Honor to request that the Executive of your State will afford them all possible Facility and to assure You Sir that, I am, with the utmost respect, Your most obedient Servt,Jno. Morin Scott
(PHi: Etting Collection).
1 Undoubtedly Joseph Reed, the president of Pennsylvania. See note 2.
2 James Duane, Oliver Ellsworth, and Scott had been appointed on June 22 a standing committee "to confer with the officers of the said bank [of Philadelphia] " to arrange financing for military supplies being provided by an association "of the patriotic citizens of Pennsylvania" in response to the crisis triggered by the collapse of the Continental procurement system. JCC, 17:550. This message was apparently sent to the executives of both Pennsylvania and Maryland, but the letter to Gov. Thomas Sim Lee, explaining the orders given to William Smith and William Matthews of Baltimore herein described, has not been found.