what you ask. Their plans are calculated for immediate operation, and one year’s perseverance on your part will totally and entirely defeat them. I have the most absolute trust that the virtue of our countrymen will support a resolute resistance, and I therefore look forward to your success with entire confidence. The Ministerial language is, the unconditional submission of the Colonies, But if you are firm, faithful, and united, the unconditional submission will be theirs.

By whatever means you can keep the Assembly of New-York from deserting, even by out-bidding the Ministry, it will be worth the purchase; for nothing will more effectually damp their hopes than the declaration of the Assembly of that Province in favour of the Congress. They have therefore despatched emissaries to exert every effort of corruption there by bribery and places for individuals, endowments for the College, and the establishment of Royal Docks, Arsenals, &c., in the City.

A reinforcement of two thousand men at the utmost is to be sent to General Gage, and four Regiments to New-York. They will probably arrive the latter end of May.

The Bill for prohibiting the Commerce and Fishery of the New-England Provinces has passed the Commons, and leave is given to bring in a Bill to extend the prohibition to all the Colonies, New-York, North-Carolina, and Georgia excepted. They are determined you shall live within yourselves, which, if you can effect, your triumph is secure.

BALTIMORE (MARYLAND) COMMITTEE.

At a meeting of the Committee of Observation at Baltimore, the 13th of March, 1775. Present, forty-eight Members.

Captain Henry Tickle, of the Brig Henry and Joseph, from Liverpool, addressed to Mr. George Woolsey, appeared and reported on oath his cargo, consisting of five thousand one hundred and thirty-three bushels of British Salt, six half-crates of Earthen-ware, and one hogshead of Rum for ship-stores; and further made oath “that he had not broken bulk or landed any part of his cargo since his arrival in this Province.”

Captain George Woolsey, the Consignee of the aforesaid Vessel, made oath that he hath not, nor hath any person by his order, or with his privity or consent, unladen or taken out any part of the cargo imported in said Vessel since her arrival.

Ordered, That notice be given to Dr. John Stevenson, that the Committee requests his attendance with Captain William Moat, of the Brig Sally, at two o’clock, P. M.

The Committee proceeded to consider the state of the Brig Henry and Joseph, and of the cargo imported in the same.

Resolved unanimously, That the said cargo be not landed.

Upon application made by Captain Woolsey to the Committee, for leave to reship the cargo of the Brig Henry and Joseph; and on Captain Woolsey his engaging that the said, cargo shall not be landed in any part of North America, between Nova-Scotia and Georgia; and on his further engagement, that the master of the Vessel in which the said cargo is to be reshipped, shall engage on oath, that he will not (unless compelled to do so by stress of weather) land the same within the parts before limited; and that he will produce a certificate from the place where the said cargo shall be landed, of the landing of the same:

Resolved, That leave be given agreeable to the above.

Doctor John Stevenson, with Captain William Moat, attending agreeable to notice;

The Chairman acquainted them that information was made to the Committee, that the cargo of Salt imported in the Brig Sally, or part thereof, had been unladen, contrary to the Resolution of the Committee made the sixth instant.

Doctor Stevenson declared that, apprehending the Resolution entered into by the Committee on the sixth instant did not prohibit him from shipping the Salt to any other part of this Province, or Virginia, he had, in consequence of such opinion, shipped a quantity on board four Bay crafts, to be disposed of for his account; that no part of the said Salt had been landed in Baltimore County; that he will deliver into the Committee the names of the skippers of the several crafts, and will return an account of the proceeds of the Salt, and the same will freely give for the relief of the poor of Boston; and that the remainder of the Salt now on board the said Brig shall not be landed in any part of America, between Nova-Scotia and Georgia: And Captain William Moat, having declared on oath, that the remainder of the Salt now on board the Brig shall not be landed within the limits aforesaid:

Resolved by the Committee, that the said apology be accepted.

Information being made to the Committee, that many misrepresentations of the proceedings of the Continental Congress had been made, with a view to lessen the influence which the Association drawn, entered into, and recommended by them, justly merited, and had almost universally obtained; and it appearing to the Committee that such misrepresentations are made by artful, designing, and wicked men, to divide the people, and defeat the measures now wisely pursued for the preservation of American liberty:

Resolved unanimously, That it is the duty of this Committee, and of every member thereof, and that we will collectively and severally persevere to carry strictly into execution the Association of the Continental Congress, and enforce an observance of the same; and that any attempt to defeat such purpose will, with its author, be exposed to the publick.

The Congress, by the Third Article of Association, having recommended the disuse of all East-India Teas; the Committee request that their Constituents, in their several families, will strictly adhere to this resolution; and, however difficult the disuse of any article which custom has rendered familiar, and to many almost necessary, may be, yet they are induced to hope the ladies will cheerfully acquiesce in this self-denial, and thereby evince to the world a love to their friends, posterity, and Country.

A very extraordinary arrangement having been lately made in the Magistracy of this County, the Committee reflecting on the conclusions which may probably be drawn from it in distant places to the disadvantage of the gentlemen superseded, cheerfully embrace, the opportunity afforded by the present meeting, to testify in favour of their conduct while they were in office. From personal acquaintance, we know them to have been irreproachable, in private, faithful and impartial in publick life; and deservedly entitled to the thanks of the whole County, for the conscientious discharge of the trust reposed in them.

Resolved, therefore, unanimously, That this Committee ought, and we hereby do, in our own names, and in the names of our constituents, sincerely thank those worthy gentlemen, whose abrupt dismission, with all the circumstances attending it, does them the greatest honour. They return to a private station with the general approbation of the County, and the pleasing satisfaction of having honourably acquitted themselves of their obligations during their continuance in office. Their dismission is a real loss; it is the more to be regretted as, from the manner of it, we can hardly expect that any of equal worth and character will hereafter be prevailed on to undertake the troublesome, unprofitable employment, now rendered distasteful to men of independent spirit and firmness; and evidently exposing them to unmerited insult.

CHARLES RIDGELY, Chairman.

A true copy from the minutes.

ROBERT ALEXANDER, Sec’ry pro tem.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN HARFORD COUNTY, IN MARYLAND, TO HIS FRIEND IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED MARCH 13, 1775.

I was last week at Baltimore, where I was witness to a manœuvre in Government which has greatly astonished and alarmed the people. It is nothing less than almost a total revolution in the Magistracy, which, we hear, is to be executed throughout the Province. The reason of this unprecedented stretch of power is now easily understood, the Magistrates of this Province being, in general, firmly attached to the liberties of their Country, and resolved strictly to adhere to the determination of the Congress.