future conduct. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.

[No. 3.]

To the Honourable the Delegates of the Province of MARYLAND,in Provincial Convention assembled:

The Petition of ALEXANDER OGG, Merchant of CALVERT County, sheweth:

That your petitioner has, without any intention of violating either the Continental Association or Provincial Resolves, sold a few Goods at a greater advance than was allowed by the Resolves of the Provincial Convention; in consequence of which the Committee of Calvert County, agreeable to the Provincial Resolution, published your petitioner in the Maryland Gazette as an offender; by which publication your petitioner is prevented from pursuing any method to enforce the payment of the debts due to him.

Your petitioner in the most solemn manner declares his hearty sorrow and repentance for his transgression, and as the people of the County are fully satisfied that your petitioner will not in word or deed transgress in future, he prays that your Honours will restore him to his former condition, so that he may pursue his business. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will pray.

[No. 3.]

To the Honourable Provincial Convention, ANNAPOLIS.

In Committee for Prince George’s County, Mr. Thomas Gantt, Chairman; Thomas Williams, Clerk.

In consequence of a recommendation from the honourable Provincial Convention, directed to the General Committee of Observation for Prince George’s County, Mr. Christopher Lowndes attended. The following questions were asked him, viz:

Quest. 1st. Whether the Brig Harriet, Captain William Scott, master, cleared out in May, 1775, by Mr. Loundes, of this Province, for Barbadoes, was seized and carried to Boston by some officer or officers of His Majesty’s Ships-of-War there stationed?

Answer. She was not taken nor carried to Boston.

Quest.2d. Whether Mr. Lowndes ever received any Letter from Henry Lloyd, of Boston, respecting the said Brig Harriet or Cargo.

Answer. He never received any.

Mr. Lowndes produced the following evidences in his defence;

Letters to Mr. Lowndes, from his correspondents in Barbadoes, dated July 1st, 13th, and 14th, and from Philip Lytcott & Co.; from which it appears that 19 barrels of Flour, 2,545 bushels of Corn, 397 bars of Iron, 20 barrels of Pork, 20 barrels of Herring, 19,865 Shingles, and 2,718 Staves, were landed for Mr. Lowndes’s account.

A Letter from Mr. Biddle, of Philadelphia, was produced by Mr. Thomas Richardson, of Georgetown, dated 31st July, saying that Captain Scott was arrived at Barbadoes, and that the Bread shipped by Mr. Richardson on board the Brig Harriet, was sold.

By the above evidence, and the deposition of John Tolson, who was a passenger on board the Brig Harriet to and from Barbadoes, it appears clear to this Committee, that there is not the least foundation for the charge of collusion propagated against Mr. Lowndes.

Mr. Lowndes prays these proceedings, with Mr. Tolson’s deposition at large, may be published in the Maryland Gazette, for his vindication to the publick,

It is the opinion of this Committee, that these proceedings be published as soon as possible.

Signed by order:

THOMAS WILLIAMS, Clerk.

COPY OF JOHN TOLSON’S DEPOSITION.

At a meeting of the Committee of Observation for Prince George’s County, at the house of Richard Carnes, in Piscataway, on Friday, the fourth day of August, 1775, Present: William Digges, Jun., Chairman; Wm. Bearns, Junior, Luke Marbury, Thomas Dent, Edward Edelin, Nathaniel Newton, Thomas Clagett, and Richard Garnet.

In consequence of its being recommended by the Provincial Convention to the General Committee of Observation for the County aforesaid, to call all evidences before them who may be expected can give the proper information respecting a report that prevails of Mr. Christopher Lowndes having cleared out a Brig from this Province for Barbadoes with Provisions, that were thrown into the hands of some of the officers of His Majesty’s Ships-of-War, for the purpose of supplying the Army under the command of General Gage, this Committee summoned before them Mr. John Tolson, aged sixteen years, and of good reputation, who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, before Luke Marbury, one of the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary’s Justices of the Peace for Prince George’s County, deposeth and saith, that on or about the twentieth day of May last, he sailed from Alexandria, on board the Brig Harriet, Captain William Scott, belonging to the said Christopher Lowndes, and that he went passenger on board of her to the Island of Barbadoes, where she discharged her cargo, and that to his, the said deponent’s knowledge, she did not discharge or dispose of any part of it till she arrived in the Road of Barbadoes; and that no part of the said cargo was put into the hands of any officer of His Majesty’s Ships-of-War, for the purpose of supplying them or the Army under the command of General Gage.

This deponent likewise saith, that in Hampton Roads, on their way out, they were boarded by some people who said they belonged to a vessel of war, who took one of the hands from the said Brig, and this deponent saith no more.

JOHN TOLSON.

Sworn before:

LUKE MARBURY.

Ordered, That a copy of these proceedings be sent to the Provincial Convention, now sitting at Annapolis.

True copy from the Records.

Signed by order of the Committee:

THOMAS CLAGETT, Clerk.

[No. 4.]

Richmond, Virginia, July 27, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The Convention of Delegate for this Colony, now sitting, have almost unanimously come to the enclosed resolution, for stopping the exportation of all kinds of provisions after the fifth day of next month.

At a time when the most secret arts are practising to furnish our enemies with the means of protracting the unhappy dispute with the Mother Country, the necessity of adopting this measure appears so evident, that this Colony have cheerfully sacrificed a very considerable part of its property by agreeing to this resolution.

I am directed to transmit the resolution to you as early as possible, and have no doubt but you will as cheerfully come to a similar one. I am, with great respect, your most obedient servant,

PEYTON RANDOLPH
President of the Convention.

In Convention, Monday, July 24, 1775.

Resolved, That no Flour, Wheat, or other Grain, or Provisions of any kind, be exported from this Colony to any part of the world, from and after the fifth day of August next, until the Convention or Assembly of this Colony, or the honourable the Continental Congress, shall order otherwise; that no quantities of the said articles, more than are necessary for the use of the inhabitants, be brought to, collected, or stored in the Towns or other places upon or near the navigable waters; that the respective County Committees be directed to take care that this Resolve be effectually carried into execution; and that all contracts made for the sale and delivery of any such articles for exportation, between this time and the tenth day of September next, be considered as null and void.

PEYTON RANDOLPH, President.

[No. 5.]

PETITION OF A. CAMPBELL AND W. LILBURN.

To the Honourable Provincial Convention:

The Petition of ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL and WILLIAM LILBURN humbly sheweth:

That your petitioners have undesignedly fallen under the censure of the Committee of St. Mary’s County, for a