Caroline County, fourteen; for Talbot County, sixteen; for Queen-Anne’s County, twenty-one; for Kent County, twenty-two; for Cecil County, sixteen. And that from and after such election the Committees of Observation in being, at and immediately before such election, in each County respectively, be and are hereby declared to be dissolved.

That the Committees so to be elected, or a majority of any seven or more of them met together, shall have full power and authority to carry into execution the Association and Resolves of the Continental Congress and Conventions of this Province, so far as the same relate to the commercial opposition to the measures of the British Ministry, in which the United Colonies are engaged; and to censure any person or persons, who within their respective Counties shall be by them adjudged to have been guilty of any breach or breaches thereof, in such manner and degree as ‘hath been or shall be directed by the said Congress and Conventions. And shall further have full power and authority, on probable proof that any person has been guilty of any high and dangerous offence, tending to disunite the inhabitants of this Province in their present opposition, or to destroy the liberties of America, to cause such person to be apprehended, and forthwith sent, together with the charge against him, to the Council of Safety on that Shore where the offence shall be committed, who shall proceed to examine into the charge, and if the same shall be sufficiently proved, pronounce sentence thereon; that such person be imprisoned, in such place and manner, and for such time, as shall be adjudged, not beyond the rising of the next Convention, who, if they think proper, may take further order therein; or that he depart this Province within a certain time to be limited.

That all persons pay obedience to and acquiesce in the determinations of such Committees of Observation and Council of Safety, and that no person whatsoever, other than the said Committees and Council, presume to inflict any punishment for any such breaches or offences. And on the same day, or the next, to which the said Delegates are empowered to adjourn, the said electors also choose by ballot, five of the most discreet and sensible of such freemen, as aforesaid, of their County, to be Delegates for the same, in any Provincial Convention to be held for this Province, within one year then next following, with full power and authority to such Delegates, or any three or more of them, to appear and act for such County, in such Convention; and to consent and agree to, and bind such County to perform and execute all such matters and things as such Convention or a majority of the Counties of this Province shall determine to be necessary for the preservation of the liberties of America.

And in case any of the said Delegates shall die, or refuse to act, the said Committee of Observation for the respective County shall have power to appoint by ballot one of the said Committee to be a Delegate for the said County, with the like power and authority, in the place of any such Delegate who shall die or refuse to act; provided that no such appointment shall be made unless two-third parts of such Committee shall be present.

That each Committee of Observation shall, as soon as conveniently may be after their appointment, choose by ballot five of their members to be a Committee of Correspondence for their County, for the said term of one year, with power to any two or more of them to act as such.

That as the Small-Pox is now at Queen’s-Town, and it will in all probability be dangerous to the inhabitants of Queen Anne’s County to assemble there for electing the Committee of Observation and Delegates for that County, the election of the Committee of Observation and Delegates for the said County shall be held at the house of George Hanson, instead of the Court-House of that County.

That for the ease and convenience of the people of Frederick County there be three different places of election; that the said County be divided into three Districts, to wit: Upper, Middle, and Lower; the Upper District to be bounded by the South Mountain, and the lines of the County westward of the South Mountain; the Middle District to be bounded from the mouth of the Monocacy with Potomack to the South Mountain, with that mountain to the temporary line with the lines; of the County to the head waters of Patuxent, and with the lines of the Lower District to Potomack; the Lower District to be bounded with Potomack to the mouth of Monocacy, then with Monocacy to Bennett’s Creek, and with the creek to the head waters of Patuxent That there be elected in the Lower District one Delegate, two persons to act as a Committee of Correspondence, and seventeen as a Committee of Observation; that in each of the other Districts there be elected two Delegates and eighteen persons to act as a Committee of Observation; and that three persons be elected in the Middle District to act as a Committee of Correspondence. That the elections for the Upper District be held at Elizabethtown, those for the Middle District at Fredericktown, and those for the Lower District at Hungerford’s; and that no person residing or voting in one shall be admitted to vote in either of the other Districts.

Resolved, That for encouraging the manufacture of Saltpetre a sum not exceeding one thousand Pounds, common money, be advanced on proper security, for erecting one or more Saltpetre Works, to be repaid in good merchantable Saltpetre at the rates herein after mentioned: and that for all good merchantable Saltpetre manufactured in this Province and delivered to the order of the Council of Safety before the first day of October, 1776, there shall be allowed at the rate of half a Dollar per pound, according to the Resolves of the Continental Congress.

That a sum not exceeding one thousand Pounds, common money, be appropriated for erecting and working a Powder Mill on the account of this Province; and that the said two sums of one thousand Pounds each, be under the management of the Council of Safety.

Resolved, That the Committee of Observation in each County appoint one or more person or persons in their respective County, to receive ail sums of Money which shall be voluntarily given, to be applied towards the arming and defending this Province, or towards erecting Manufactories of any kind, or for the immediate relief of such of the inhabitants of this Province as are or may become necessitous, from the present general calamities; which persons shall give receipts for the Money by them respectively received, and keep and return accounts thereof to the Treasurer of their respective Shore, specifying and distinguishing from whom the same shall have been received, and if any, what part thereof shall have been given for either of the said purposes, particularly; and the said Money shall be paid to the said Treasurer, and may be applied and laid out by the Council of Safety, or that part of it residing on each Shore, respectively, for the purposes before mentioned; having regard in the application to the intention of the donors, and promoting the subsistence of the necessitous, either by erecting Manufactories, and the employment of such as labour therein, or in works of any kind, than by immediate gifts; it being the opinion of this Convention that such charities may be rendered much more extensively beneficial by having the same placed under a general direction.

Resolved, That the Council of Safety contract for, purchase, and provide five thousand stands of Arms, including those ordered and contracted for by this Convention, giving a preference, as far as they can, to those manufactured in the Country; and also purchase and provide nine small Brass Field-Pieces, and Carriages therefor.

And that the Council of Safety may also, on proper security and terms they approve of, advance a sum not exceeding one thousand Pounds, common money, for erecting and carrying on one or more Salt Works in this Province.

Resolved, That the Committee of Observation in each County, as soon as may be, transmit to the branch of the Council of Safety for their respective Shore, a particular account of all Arms and Ammunition purchased in their County, pursuant to Resolves of the Convention in December last, and of all sums of Money subscribed and actually paid in or contributed, and by whom, for the purchase of the said Arms and Ammunition; and that each branch of the Council of Safety order the Treasurer of their Shore to pay-to such person as shall be appointed by each of the said, Committees, on their respective Shore, the amount of the Money so paid in and actually expended in the purposes aforesaid, before the transmitting of such account, that the