Philadelphia. Octo 30th. 1781
Dear sir
I am honored with your Excellencys Letter of the 19th and am much obliged to you for the friendly hint you have given me; Should I attend the assembly I hope to be able to give them the information they may require respecting our public affairs; but I am very desirous of haveing Mr Johnson in our assembly and if I am informed that there is a probabillity of his being Elected in Case of a vacancy, I shall immediately resign my Seat.1 I have wrote to a friend of His and mine in Frederick Town on the Subject,2 and Should be glad of your thoughts on the Occasion. This to yourself if you please. No particular Account from Gen Washington of the prisoners and Stores taken at York and Gloucester is yet Come to hand. Neither have we had Any Account of the French fleet since they left the Bay nor of the English Since they left New York. I have been So Engaged this Morning that I have not time to add more than that, I am with the warmest friendship,
yr. Excellencys most hble Servt.
John Hanson
Receiver’s copy, Lee, Horsey, and Carroll Papers deposit (1985), Maryland Historical Society.
1 Thomas Johnson was indeed elected to fill a vacancy in the first session of the 1780 - 81 Maryland assembly and Hanson resigned his seat in that body, having been chosen president of Congress on November 5 and reelected as a delegate by the state. Johnson, however, chose not to attend the assembly, resigning his seat on December 11, 1781. See JCC, 21:1100, 1152; and Bio. Dict. of Md. Legis., 1:405 - 6, 2:496.
2 Not found; but see Hanson to Philip Thomas, November 6, 1781.