Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn to the North Carolina Council of Safety
Hooper, William, 1742-1790; Hewes, Joseph, 1730-1779; Penn, John, 1740 or 1-1788
September 23, 1776
Volume 10, Pages 806-807

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from the North Carolina Delegates in the Continental Congress to the North Carolina Council of Safety.

Gentlemen:

We wrote you very lately by Mr Wyriott of Georgia, & shall write you very fully by Mr Hewes in a few days.

This goes by Mr Milles who returns to acquaint you with the result of his agency. We regret with him that it has not been accompanied with the successes that you had reason to expect from it. Nothing was wanting on his part that the most earnest zeal for you could prompt, and we have co-operated with our best endeavours to carry his designs into execution. But such is the demand for workmen in every branch of the Iron manufactury and the Wages so very extravagantly high that men who have any pretentions to skill in the business cannot be prevailed upon to leave home. We have been under the necessity to purchase a light Waggon and two horses to remove the Man whom he has employed together with the Patterns of Pots which we have been so fortunate as to secure tho' at a great price, as they were the only ones to be sold in the province of Pennsylvania.

We have advanced 100 dollars to Mr Milles for which he will be accountable to you. We have been induced to this from an expectation

-------------------- page 807 --------------------
that on his way out he may meet some workmen who may answer his purpose & to whom it may be necessary to pay something in hand to induce to accompany him to Carolina.

We are Gentlemen with great Respect
Your Obed. Humble Servts
WILL. HOOPER,
JOSEPH HEWES,
JOHN PENN.
Inclosed is Expence of the Waggon & Horses.

Philadelphia, Sept. 23rd, 1776.