the permission and consent of the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County, or the Provincial Convention, first had and obtained, but shall stay and abide the determination and sentence that shall or may be pronounced against him by the next Provincial Convention, for the heinous offence committed by him against the community; and in case the said James Christie shall depart this Province without such leave, we and each of us do hereby voluntarily agree to submit to the same punishment that would have been inflicted on the said James Christie if he had not departed. As witness our hands this twenty-fourth day of July, 1775.

“Witness:                W. Smith.”

[No. 7.]

Melvill’s Warehouse, August 2, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Caroline County, Captain Matthew Driver in the Chair; were present: Messrs. Thomas Hardcastle, Giles Hicks, Daniel Skinner. Thomas Pennington, Aaron Dowries, William Rich, John White, William Haslett, William Chipley, Ezekiel, Hunter, Robert Hardcastle, David Robinson, John Stevens, William Bell, and Solomon Mason, Esquires.

The Committee being informed by Capt. Henry Dowries that he having been advised that a certain John Williams had endeavoured to dissuade sundry persons enrolled in his Company from mustering, and had made use of many expressions which highly reflected on the Americans, for having taken up arms in defence of their lights and privileges, which had induced him, assisted by many of the Sons of Liberty, to take the said Williams, on the sixteenth day of June last, and carry him to Tackahoe Bridge; but after some inquiries had been made by the people then present, they judged it most expedient to refer Williams to the Committee of Observation for a discussion of his conduct, and the first Wednesday of August was fixed for a meeting of the Committee for that purpose; agreeable to which appointment the said Williams now appears.

Patrick Hart and James Walker being both duly sworn, depose and declare, that John Williams did censure them both for mustering, and said they took up arms against their King, and were fools.

And it further appears to this Committee, that when Companies were first formed, agreeable to the recommendation of the Provincial Convention, that the said Williams joined a certain John Cooper in forming a Company to act in opposition to said recommendation; and after Cooper had renounced those principles, and resigned his post in said Company, he the said Williams did persist and endeavour to keep up said Company, and now declares that he never will exercise on the principles now adopted for the preservation of our constitutional rights.

Resolved, That he be kept by the Sheriff of this County, assisted by a Guard of a Sergeant and six Men, in the Jail, until otherwise ordered by the Provincial Convention or this Committee.

Ordered, That Thomas Hardcastle be appointed to go to Annapolis, and present a copy of this day’s proceedings to the Provincial Convention, now sitting, and there beg their instructions in writing to this Committee respecting the above-named John Williams

The Committee adjourns to Monday next.

A true copy:

HENRY DOWNES, Jun., Clerk.

[No. 8.]

To the Honourable Convention at ANNAPOLIS:

The Petition of RICHARD HENDERSON, of BLADENSBURGH, humbly sheweth:

That your petitioner being in great hazard of his person and property, through the means of another, begs leave to lay before you the following facts, which are substantially true, although, from the confusion usually thrown upon the mind in times of extreme and unexpected danger, they may not be in every minute point fully related.

On Monday last, the 31st of July, being for the day commanding officer of the Bladensburgh Company, a letter from Colonel Joshua Beall was put into my hands, to be read to the Company. Our Company was not full, wherefore I put the letter into my pocket, intending to wait the coming of more men. But the Company being impatient, I opened it, and to my astonishment found that it contained an intercepted letter, written by a youth who assisted at my store, expressing the strongest sentiments. I called for the Clerk to read it, but he being absent, I was forced to read it. The Company then proposed to put the youth, whose name is George Munro, under arrest, unless some person would be answerable for his appearance before the Committee on the next day.

I refused to be answerable, so he had sentries placed on him; but afterwards, he being sick, and it seeming to be the wish of the Company that I should become answerable, I complied.

On Tuesday morning I saw him, and he expressed no apprehension about appearing before the Committee; and therefore, at the beating to arms, I joined the Company, and never afterwards saw him, being with the Company constantly till near evening, when I was sent for by the Committee, and asked to bring Mr. Munro. I went, but about noon a great number of men, with loaded arms, having come to Town, and declared their determination to tar and feather him, and having brought an old, lean, sorebacked, dull horse, whereon to set him and drum him through the Town, whatever might be the sentiments of the Committee, the youth was struck with an agony of fear, and rode off. It must have been the fright which induced him to go, for he had an opportunity in the night. When it was found that he was gone, the people out of doors having beset the Committee, became outrageous, and at last., after I had done all in my power with the utmost difficulty, they allowed the Committee to grant me till Monday next to produce Mr. Munro. I had before this sent two active men, appointed by the people, after him, at my expense, and there are two men gone since, to whom I pay a dollar a day each, their expenses, and find horses.

Notwithstanding all this, and that I made oath that I fully expected he would not have gone away before attending the Committee, the private animosity of some men renders my property insecure, and brings my family into the utmost terrour. Jasper Wirt, who built the house in which I have peaceably lived for these ten years, has endeavoured to get people to join him in pulling it down, alleging that when I drew the articles of agreement which he and I interchangeably signed and sealed, I read those parts only which I thought fit, and passed over other parts, thereby deceiving him; every part of which allegation I have already offered to Captain Andrew Beall’s Company to prove, and can at any time prove by authentick papers to be utterly false.

At the request of your petitioner, the Committee have appointed Monday next to determine what course of conduct should be pursued; however, there is reason to fear, from the temper and disposition of many who were present at the late examination, that the attempts of the Committee to preserve peace and good order will prove ineffectual, unless this Convention will take the matter under their consideration, and manifest the impropriety and injustice of inflicting punishment on a person no otherwise culpable than by being incapable of procuring the absconded party, whose flight was occasioned by a breach of that good order which was by a former Convention enjoined.

RICHARD HENDERSON.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, ss., AUG. 4, 1775:

Richard Henderson made oath that the foregoing narrative is, to the best of his knowledge, just and true.

Sworn before me:

WILLIAM EDDIS.

In Committee, Bladensburgh, August 7, 1775,

Mr. Thomas Gantt, Chairman.

The Committee took into consideration the Letter from the honourable Provincial Congress, relative to Mr. Munro’s escape from Bladensburgh, and are of opinion, that Mr. Richard Henderson was no ways aiding, assisting, or even privy to the said George Munro’s escape.

Signed by order:

THOMAS WILLIAMS, Clerk.