PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, AUG. 3, 1775:

1, Thomas Macgill, being one of the Committee of the County aforesaid, make oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that on Tuesday last, alter Jasper Wirt, with a body of people, had expressed great vengeance against Richard Henderson, I was in company with James Hoggan, and Jasper Wirt coming up, Mr. Hoggan asked him why he was so violent; on which Jasper said that he had now dispersed the company, hut they would meet again on Monday. Mr. Hoggan asked him what the people would meet for; to which Jasper answered, that he had not yet forgotten the building of Mr. Henderson’s house.

THOMAS MACGILL.

Before me:

CHRISTOPHER LOWNDES.

[No. 9.]

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

The Memorial of JAMES CHRISTIE, Jun., of BALTIMORE County, humbly sheweth:

That your memorialist did, on the twenty-second day of February last, write the letter (a copy of which is hereunto annexed) to his friend and cousin germane, Lieutenant-Colonel Christie, in the Island of Antigua; that at the time of writing the said letter your memorialist unfortunately could not approve of the measures then pursued in this Province, as a Petition from the honourable Continental Congress was then lying at the foot of the Throne of Great Britain, the result of which was not at that time known in America.

That the said letter having been intercepted by means to your memorialist altogether unknown, was, on the 13th of July, instant, laid before the Committee of Baltimore County, who came to such resolutions on the same as will appear to this Convention by copy of the proceedings hereunto annexed. That in pursuance of the said resolutions, your memorialist has already suffered a painful imprisonment, and hath paid to the guard appointed by the Committee the sum of thirty-one Pounds, seventeen Shillings and six Pence, current money, as will appear by the receipt for the same, ready to be produced.

That by a subsequent Resolution of the said Committee on the 24th instant, the said guard was discharged, on the application of your memorialist for that purpose, upon your memorialist giving an obligations with five securities, not to depart the Province without leave of the said Committee, or this Convention. And your memorialist presumes, with all deference, to say, that the letter in question, the contents of which has excited so much uneasiness in the minds of the good people of this Province, could not be productive of any ill effect, being wrote lay a private individual to his friend and relation, a person who had not the power, if he had the inclination, and who, from regard to his own private interest, and from the ties of blood, (his wife, family, and fortune, being in this Country,) cannot be supposed to be active in devising measures to crush the liberties thereof. And in the most solemn manner your memorialist avers, that he never harboured a wish to introduce a military force into this Province for the purpose of enslaving the inhabitants thereof. And your memorialist begs leave to add, that he is extremely sorry that his private opinion should have given any offence; he was far from intending any; he considered himself as writing to a friend in confidence, and had no expectation or wish that such private opinions would ever appear in publick, or be productive of any publick measures whatever.

That the said Committee having referred all further proceedings on your memorialist’s case to the gentlemen delegated by this Province to the Continental Congress, and they having referred the same to the consideration of this Convention, obliges your memorialist to make this application, humbly to request that this honourable Convention will consider your memorialist’s case, and discharge your memorialist and his securities from the said obligation, and also grant permission to your memorialist to depart the Province with all convenience, without molestation in person or property.

Your memorialist, relying upon the wisdom and humanity of this honourable Convention most cheerfully submits his case to their decision, humbly praying that the blessings of peace and tranquillity may be restored to every part of the British Empire. That the rights and privileges of America may be established on a firm and lasting basis, and a speedy and honourable reconciliation take place between the Parent State and her Colonies, is the sincere wish of your memorialist,

JAMES CHRISTIE, JUN.

Baltimore, July 27, 1775.

[No. 10.]

Annapolis, August 11, 1775

GENTLEMEN: We are, jointly with Mr. William Russell and Mr. Daniel Bowly, of Baltimore, owners of the Brig Nancy, Captain Sands. Some time in the month of May last, we chartered this brig to Messrs. Wallace, Davidson, and Johnson, to load with tobacco in Potomack, for London. She is now loaded, and ready to clear out on her intended voyage, but she having lain longer by a considerable time than was expected, in collecting her cargo, and the season having been remarkably dry, the worm have injured her bottom to such a degree as to render her unfit to proceed to sea; and before she can do so her cargo must be relanded and her bottom sheathed. Work of this kind cannot be done where she lays: we must have her up to Baltimore. Under these circumstances, the work being tedious, we are apprehensive the vessel cannot be finished previous to the tenth of September. It is our wish to make rules formed for the benefit of the community our line of conduct, nor would we, we assure you gentlemen, under any specious pretences, endeavour to infringe them. Our situation is a very peculiar one. We beg you will take it into consideration, and allow us, if not in our power to do it before, to reload the above cargo after the tenth of September. The vessel and cargo shall be cleared out before. We desire to be sworn as to the fitness and condition of the vessel to take in her cargo at the time of her going from Baltimore to Potomack.

We know the arduous business in which you are now engaged, gentlemen, must take up much of your attention. We are sorry to be an interruption to it, but hope our situation will be a sufficient apology, as well as further excuse us in desiring your speedy directions in this business, the condition of the vessel being such as to render some immediate steps necessary to be taken with her.

We are with respect, Gentlemen, your most obedient servants,

[No. 12.]

August 2, 1775

By the Committee appointed by the Honourable Provincial Convention to inquire into the practicability of establishing a Manufactory of Arms within this Province, and the expense and best mode to carry the same into execution:

Your Committee are of opinion, that the establishing a publick Manufactory of Arms in this Province would be attended with great expense, much delay, and would by no means answer the exigencies of the Province; but from the best information in so short a time to be procured, do conceive that Arms may be furnished sooner and at less expense, by engaging immediately all gunsmiths and others concerned in carrying on that business.

We, therefore, beg leave to recommend, that proper persons be appointed in each County to contract with the gunsmiths in their several Districts, and that a sum of publick money be lodged in their hands, to be advanced at their discretion to the contractors (on security) to enable them with greater expedition to fulfil their engagements.

There are three gunsmith shops in Baltimore Town, one in Georgetown, four in Fredericktown, one near Fredericktown, two in Hagerstown, and one in Jerusalem Town; in the whole amounting to twelve. We are informed that each of these shops can in one month complete twenty substantial Muskets, (the dimensions of which may be forty-two inches in length, three-fourths of an inch clear in the bore, one and a half inch diameter at the breech, and seven-eighths of an inch at the muzzle,) with steel Rammers, and Bayonets twenty inches in length, including the Stock.