The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

798 COMMONS JOURNAL, JANUARY 5, 1761–JANUARY 24, 1761pounds of that fund not yet expended. And I have directed the treasurer &commissary general to lay before you the accounts of what has been alreadydistributed, or is become due, with the other demands on the public, orwhenever you are at leasure to take them under examination. By the demandson this account brought in to the treasurer, from last February toDecember, there appears to be about the sum of £8500 due, towards the paymentof which there is in the treasury the sum of £3000. I must observe toyou, that altho’ the price of grain is paid for by the public, the country roundthese forts is so much exhausted by the devastation of the enemy, & twelvemonths consumption, that latterly they are obliged to send thirty, nay sixtymiles for it. Many scruples & difficulties may arise in supplying them for alonger time, unless you come to some resolution on this head. And it seemsevident that, if they are not supplied, they must either starve, or break upthe forts, & therewith quit the promising hopes of the coming harvest. Itherefore desire that you will take the whole of this matter into your consideration,& make such further provision as may be necessary until the comingin of the harvest in June & July.Several letters from Augusta, that have been communicated to me,mention the great distress which the Chickesaws in that neighborhood, willsoon be in for want of provisions by reason of the dry season in the summer;& their having engaged in our cause against the Cherokees, deters them fromhunting to get skins wherewith they might purchase corn. I therefore recommendtheir case to you, as we are all sensible they cannot expect any greatassistance from the neighboring province.The 21st January 1761.William Bull.And then the Messenger withdrew.And Mr. Speaker read the Message to the House.Ordered, That the Message be referred to the consideration of a Committee;& that they do report their Opinion thereupon to the House.And it is referred to Mr. Smith, Mr. Wragg, Mr. Summers, Mr. Shubrick,Mr. Izard, Mr. Savage, Colonel Rivers.And then the House adjourned till to-morrow Morning, Ten of the Clock.Thursday the 22th Day of January 1761.Read the Journals of Yesterday’s Proceedings.Mr. Smith reported from the Committee to whom the Lieut. Governor’sMessage of Yesterday was referred, That they had considered the matter ofthe said Message, and come to several Resolutions thereupon; which they had