Memorandum of bricks delivered by S. Potter, and by Hayne and Potter, according to Mr. Hagner's report, (No. 10 a).

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, THIRD AUDITOR'S OFFICE, January 31, 1828.

850

136 07

The certificate states they "will be applied
to the foundations of the caponieres, which
are in water. These bricks are of a very
superior quality: size 8, 4, 2."

The certificate states they "will be applied
to the following purposes, viz: The bricks
at $7 50 and $8 50 to construction of cita-
del; the salmon bricks to construction of
chimneys in temporary quarters. The first
quantity of bricks, at $7 50, measure 64
cubic inches; those at $8 50 measure 81
inches. The first quantity are a part of
the purchase made by Lieut. Tuttle, under
the authority of the Engineer department.'
"Will be applied to the construction of the
citadel."

8 50 2,846 7 The certificate states they have "been ap-
plied to the construction of caponieres,
canette, and citadel at Oak island.'

Appears before me, a justice of the peace in and for this county, Alfred Emerson, a competent witness, and makes oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, to the following facts, viz: I was employed by Thomas Crown on the 29th of March, 1826, to go with him to North Carolina as a clerk. I sailed from Baltimore with Captain George L. Rouse, in the sloop Hellen, in charge of the said Thomas Crown's hands, provisions, and tools, and arrived at Smithville on or about the 11th April, 1826, where I met said Crown, and all the hands &c., were landed safe; and the said Thomas Crown went to considerable expense in building houses for his hands to live in, making log paths across the marsh, digging clay, and levelling brick-yards, cutting wood, and erecting a wharf to land bricks, &c.; and then commenced making brick, and made, to the best of my knowledge, about 400,000, which were ready for delivery to the fort at Oak island, and Capt. George Blaney would not receive the said brick, alleging some defect in the contract between the said Crown and Blaney; but what it was I did not learn. The said Crown being in want of money, was obliged to sell the said brick to Samuel Potter at a great loss to him, the said Crown, and the said Potter did afterwards sell the said brick to the said Capt. Blaney. I will further state, that previous to the sale of the brick from Crown to Potter, Potter and Blaney came to the brick yard, and the said Potter said to said Crown, that if he would not receive him as a partner, he would call the negroes and put him (the said Crown) across the creek; but Crown resisting, created a great disturbance between them.

A. EMERSON.

Sworn to before me, this 24th day of January, 1828. [L. S.]

JNO. CHALMERS, J. P.

WASHINGTON, December 23, 1835.

SIR: In compliance with your request, I will briefly note my recollection of one or two facts connected with your engagement in 1826 to furnish bricks at Oak island, North Carolina, and I do so more cheerfully in consequence of having been one of the persons who recommended you for the employment.

In my recommendation-which was at the time supported by several persons of the most respectable character-I stated that, independent of your experience in brick-making, you furnished the materials and erected several houses for me; and that in every instance you had fulfilled your engagements promptly, and to my entire satisfaction.

Some time after this recommendation, and after I had been informed of your having obtained a contract, application was made to me, I think either by or through Captain Blaney, to know whether I would become one of your sureties; and to which I answered, that I could not, consistent with a fixed determination; which was, while in office,

to avoid any connexion with public contracts; but that, under other circumstances, I should not have the slightest objection. With esteem, sir, your humble servant,

THOMAS CROWN.

G. BOMFORD.

WASHINGTON CITY, February 1, 1830.

I hereby certify that I was employed by Thomas Crown, as a brickmoulder, at Smithville, North Carolina, to assist him in moulding bricks for the fortifications at Oak island, in 1826. I am under the impression he had between eight and ten hundred thousand bricks made and burned. I am confident there were not less than two-thirds that were of the best quality of bricks, which were worked in the fortifications; however, it appears there was a contract made between Captain G. Blaney and Mr. Crown, when, it appears, the contract being sent to the Engineer Department, it was returned without being executed; from what cause I know not. But so it was; Captain Blaney would not receive the bricks that Mr. Crown had made, and he (Mr. Crown) could raise no money to continue the work, being a stranger in that country. I had no funds to continue the work. He had hired hands of a Mr. Potter, in that country; and he also furnished ground for Mr. Crown to make the bricks on, for which Mr. Crown was to compensate him. It also appears, that after Captain Blaney would not receive the bricks, Mr. Potter observed he would purchase them of Mr. Crown at a very reduced price-perhaps at onefourth of their value; and if he would not take his offer, he would attach the same to save himself, as there was no persons in that country that were able to purchase them except for government.

Mr. Potter being a wealthy man, and whom Captain Blaney boarded with, I have no doubt but there was an arrangement made between those two gentlemen. It also appears that Mr. Potter was an applicant for the contract previous to Mr. Crown's getting it. I will state one circumstance previous to the latter taking place: That Captain Blaney and Mr. Potter came to Mr. Crown's brick-yards together, and he (Potter) said, in the presence of Captain Blaney, that if said Crown did not consider him as a partner in the business, he would call his negroes together and put him across the creek. There was considerable confusion took place, which had mysterious appearances. At length Mr. Crown, from the repeated proposition of Potter, was obliged to sell out his establishment and brick at a great sacrifice, and returned home. I continued to work with Potter the balance of the season; and the brick made by T. Crown were purchased from Potter at a price not less than from $7 50 to $8 per M., and worked in the fortifications at Oak island, and those were as good brick as I have ever seen in any part of this country. And I am under the impression that Mr. Crown could not have received more than $2 per M. for the brick under the compulsory means then pressed upon him. I am under the impression that if Captain Blaney had received the brick made by Mr. Crown, he would have completed the contract without the least difficulty.

JAMES H. HENRY.