agreed on, until the said Act shall be repealed; and that such Association be on oath.

4. Resolved, That as remittances can be made only from exports, after stopping the exports to Great Britain and the West Indies, it will be impossible for very many of the people of this Province who are possessed of valuable property, immediately to pay off their debts, and therefore it is the opinion of this meeting the gentlemen of the law ought to bring no suit for the recovery of any debt due from any inhabitant of this Province, to any inhabitant of Great Britain, until the said Act be repealed; and further, that they ought not to bring suit for the recovery of any debt due to any inhabitant of this Province, except in such cases where the debtor is guilty of a wilful delay in payment, having ability to pay, or is about to abscond, or remove his effects, or is wasting his substance, or shall refuse to settle his account.

5. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that a Congress of Deputies from the several counties to be held at Annapolis, as soon as conveniently may be, will he the most speedy and effectual means of uniting all the parts of this Province in such Association as proposed; and that if agreeable to the sense of our sister Colonies, Delegates ought to be appointed from this Province to attend a general Congress of Deputies from the other Colonies, at such time and place as may be agreed on, to effect unity in a wise and prudent plan for the forementioned purpose.

6. Resolved, unanimously, That the inhabitants of this County will, and it is the opinion of this meeting, that the Province ought to break off all trade and dealings with that Colony, Province, or town, which shall decline, or refuse to come into similar resolutions with a majority of the Colonies.*

7. Resolved, That Brice Thomas Beale Worthington, Charles Carroll, barrister, John Hall, William Paca, Samuel Chase, Thomas Johnson, Jun., Matthias Hammond, Thomas Sprigg, Samuel Chew, John Weems, Thomas Dorsey, Rezin Hammond, and John Hood, Jun., be a Committee to attend a general meeting at Annapolis, and of Correspondence to receive and answer all letters, and on any emergency to call a general meeting, and that any six of the number have power to act.

Ordered, That a copy of these Resolves be transmitted to the Committees of the several counties of this Province, and be also published in the Maryland Gazette.

By order,

JOHN DUCKETT, Clerk of Committee.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER RECEIVED AT NEW-YORK.

Philadelphia, June 4, 1774.

I pity our brethren in Boston; they are very severely punished; but some of their friends here, and I fear with you also, are too warm, and to serve them seem willing to draw us into the same dilemma; but surely this is not the way to serve the general cause; we can be of more use to our brethren when whole than when broken, and I cannot let go my hopes that we may by a joint petition of our rights to the Crown, prevent things from going to extremities, and get Boston restored to the same liberties with the other Colonies; but some wish to push all things into confusion; with them I can never join, while any other expedient it left. Our letter to Boston is a moderate one, yet warm and firm enough. You have no doubt seen it, as a copy was sent to your Committee, who are of our sentiments, and I hope will continue cool.

Hartford, Conn., June 4, 1774.

To the Honourable JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Esq., Governour of the English Colony of CONNECTICUT, in NEW ENGLAND, &c.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOUR: In your great condescension graciously still please to consider of me; methinks I stand in need of every help and encouragement attainable. May it please your Honour to grant unto me my humble request.

Your Honour doubtless remembers that I made mention of another recommendation and pass from your Honour, when I was admitted into your presence, humbly desiring that it might be more extensive, not confined to one or two journies, or to one or two years, neither to any particular place, as I shall be going from one Government unto another, sometimes I shall be travelling up and down in this Government, also in Rhode-Island and York Governments, and perhaps also in Boston and Hampshire Governments; and I know not where else, and in thus travelling it is very probable that I shall see many strangers, and your Honour knows that the world is full of inquiries. Also I would inform your Honour that a recommendation and pass from thee, is a great help to me; it not only causes the gentlemen with whom I have to do, to take more notice of me, but it also recommends me to the respects of my Indian brethren, and thereby I am rendered more useful, or put in a capacity of being much more serviceable to my poor New England brethren, the natives; and not only this, but a recommendation from your Honour gives me favour in the eyes and hearts of the people in general in these parts, and thereby I am less chargeable in my travels. But most noble Governour fearing that I have already wearied your patience, I must draw towards the conclusion. May it please your Honour graciously to grant unto me thy favour, with respect of a recommendation and pass at this time, to save me from further trouble, also to save me from troubling your Honour any more; and not only with respect to this but also with respect of my petition to your Honour and to the Honourable Assembly; if your Honour be pleased to grant me thy favour concerning these things, I shall think myself happy, and would with all my heart cheerfully if it was in my power make your Honour an ample satisfaction. But your Honour knows my pitiful circumstances. So I end, still laying at the feet of your Honour's mercy, and still laying at the feet of the Hon-

* QUESTIONS Submitted to the consideration of the Committee for ANNE ARUNDEL County.

1. If the Association takes place on the proposed plan, will not a multitude of artificers and labourers of every denomination be immediately deprived of all means of subsistence? If that be the case will they, if no tender regard be paid to their interest and real importance in society, no refuge be provided for their inevitable distress, have any other resource than AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN AND A STRONG ARM in support of the natural and inextinguishable right of self-preservation? For I assume it as a point granted, that in a common and extreme calamity the barriers erected by positive law to fence and distinguish private property are thrown down, and that every thing relapses into a state of nature.

2. Shall not the landlord be bound, neither to demand payment in money or produce of the tenant, nor to make charge of rent whilst the Association lasts?

3. Will it not be most improvident to suffer the accumulation of interest to swallow up our effects, and spread itself like a rapid and consuming disease to our persons, the moment we have by our efforts in a contest equally interesting to ALL baffled the counsels of a Tyrant Minister? Will it not be strikingly unjust, that the trade of the money-lender alone shall continue to produce its fruits without interruption, to be gathered in season, out of the substance of those who are already stunned and exhausted by the suspension of their respective trades, occupations, and pursuits? Shall not all bonds then on interest, not only lie TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES DEAD during the existence of the Association, but be controulled by suitable and temporary restrictions in the commencement and manner of their operation when it shall expire? And the observance of this be enforced by obligations as solemn as any other article of the Association?

4. If every issue of wealth be effectually stopped up, how shall the annual interest arising on public bonds be discharged? And will not the situation of this Province be truly deplorable, when the period fixed by law for calling in the principal shall arrive, unless some expedient be devised to shield us from the misfortune, without blasting the credit of our Provincial fund?

5. Will not the exceptions of the fourth Resolve, pointing out the conduct which ought to be observed by the gentlemen of the law towards the debtors and creditors residing in this Province, be construed as a banter unbecoming so awful an occasion, unless some standard, some precise rule be set up to give them significance and effect? If as it would seem, the gentlemen of the law are clothed with the power to decide in cases of this moment, shall not the debtor, upon inquisition, be obliged to reveal under oath every the most delicate circumstance, which may contribute to give a complete view of his affairs, and furnish a certain ground to judge of his ABILITY or DISABILITY to PAY? What shall amount to a proof that a debtor is about to ABSCOND OT REMOVE HIS EFFECTS? How shall a debtor clearly know the degree of excess which shall subject him to the charge of WASTING HIS SUBSTANCE; since, when property is at stake, some men are so much more ready to take the alarm than others, and what one shall censure as unwarrantable prodigality, another will commend as the laudable exertion of a social heart, and even the secret dispensations of melting charity are, when detected, by some transmuted into culpable profusion? What is meant by SETTLING AN ACCOUNT?

6. Shall the inhabitants, of Great Britain be deemed by the gentlemen of the law, totally excluded from the benefit of the exceptions referred, to in the preceding section, and yet their effects here be liable to be attached for debts due to the inhabitants of this Province?

June 13, 1774.

CANDOUR.