or Witnesses disobeying as aforesaid, and him or them bring before the said Council or Committee, to answer the contempt; and may fine the said Witness or Witnesses not exceeding the sum of five Pounds, current money. And if it shall happen that any Witness shall refuse to declare on oath the truth of his or her knowledge, touching the fact under the consideration of such Council or Committee, that they have full power and authority to commit such Witness to the custody of some Captain of Militia within the County where such Witness resides, and by him to be safely kept until such Witness shall comply as aforesaid. Provided, always, That this Resolution shall not be understood to compel Witnesses to give evidence in cases in which they are interested, and they declare the same on oath when required.

Resolved, That the expenses arising on such attachment or commitment be defrayed out of the property of the person attached or committed.

Adjourned till three o’clock.

Post Meridiem. Convention met.

Mr. Somervill appeared in the House.

A Memorial from the Committee of Observation for Cecil County, and an Address and Petition from the Officers and Associators in the Thirtieth or Susquehannah Battalion of Militia, in said County, were severally read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On reading a second time the Petition of Purnal Johnson,

Resolved, That the same be referred to the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County, and that the said Committee report to this Convention their opinion of the merits of said Petition.

Ordered, That the Clerk transmit a copy of the above Resolve, together with a copy of the Petition, to the Committee of Baltimore County.

On motion, Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to consider of the further means of defence necessary for this Province.

And Mr. T. Johnson, Mr. Goldsborough, Mr. Hollyday, Mr. Paca, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Tilghman, and Mr. Plater, were elected by ballot a Committee for that purpose.

On reading a second time the Remonstrance from the Committee of Observation for Talbot County,

Resolved, That the Fourth Battalion of Militia in said County be composed of the Companies of the Captains Joseph Bruff, Jacob Gibson, Nathaniel Cooper, John Dougherty, James Lloyd, Samuel Abbot, Thomas Gordon, and Greenbury Goldsborough; and that the Companies of the Captains James Benson, Henry Banning, John Rolle, Willaim Hambleton, William Webb Haddaway, and Nicholas Martin, in said County, form the Thirty-Eighth Battalion.

The Remonstrance of the Committee of the Lower District of Frederick County being read a second time,

Resolved, That the same be referred for consideration till next session of Convention.

On reading a second time, and considering the Memorial of Captain Edward Veazey,

Resolved, That the same be rejected.

On reading a second time the Petition of Abraham, Linganfelter, David Alspaugh, and Henry Barnes, languishing Debtors in Frederick County Jail,

Resolved, That the same be referred to the consideration of the next session of Convention; but that it is in the mean time recommended to the several Creditors of said Petitioners to accept the composition offered by them, provided the same be a just and fair one.

The Order of the Day, for taking into consideration the late intercepted Letters to Governour Eden, the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, and of the Council of Safety of this Province thereupon, being read,

Resolved, That this Convention will, on to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to consider of the same.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Tuesday, May 14, 1776.

Convention met. All Members present as on yesterday.

The Proceedings of yesterday were read.

Mr. Stull, Mr. Allein, and Mr. Nicholson, appeared in the House.

A Petition from the freemen belonging to the Twenty-Ninth Battalion of Militia; a Petition from the Committee and others, the inhabitants of the Middle District of Frederick County; a Letter from Colonel John Murdock, of the Twenty-Ninth Battalion; a Petition from Jacob Keaport, of Baltimore County; and an application from Michael Cocendofer, of Frederick County, for a sum of money to enable him to carry on a Stocking Manufactory; were severally read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion, Resolved unanimously, That upon every Vote, the Delegates from each County be severally called, and the yeas and nays respectively taken, if required by a County, and that the same be recorded with the Proceedings of the Convention.

Resolved, That all the Votes and Proceedings of the Convention be published, except such as relate to military operations, and such others as shall be particularly ordered not to be published.

On reading a second time the application of Michael Cocendofer,

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to receive all proposals relative to the establishment of Manufactories, and report their opinion thereon.

And Mr. Gilpin, Mr. Rumsey, Mr. Earle, Mr. Ewing, and Mr. Beall, were elected by ballot a Committee for that purpose.

The Petition of Jacob Keaport, of Baltimore County, being read a second time,

Resolved, That the same be rejected.

Adjourned till three o’clock.

Post Meridiem. Convention met.

A Recommendation of Field-Officers, and a Petition for Commissions for said Officers, from the Captains Gist Vaughan, Micajah Merryman, John Stevenson, (son of Edward,) John Forster, Stephen Gill, (son of John,) John Talbot, Edward Cockey, and John Cockey, were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Order of the Day, for taking into consideration the late intercepted Letters to Governour Eden, the Proceedings of the Continental Congress, and of the Council of Safety of this Province, being read, the Convention resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to consider of the same, Mr. Plater in the chair.

After some time spent therein, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. Plater reported: That the Committee, according to order, had taken under their consideration the late intercepted Letters to Governour Eden, the Proceedings of the Continental Congress and of the Council of Safety thereupon, but, not being able to go through the same, had directed him to move for leave to sit again.

Resolved, That this Convention will, to-morrow, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to consider further of the said Letters and Proceedings.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow rooming, nine o’clock.

Wednesday, May 15, 1776.

Convention met. All Members present as on yesterday. The Proceedings of yesterday were read.

On reading a Letter from Captain John Allen Thomas, of the Fifth Company of Independent Regular Troops,

Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to inquire into the conduct of Mr. Robert Cummins, and the reason why he has not supplied the Troops with Rations, as regulated at the last Convention, agreeable to his contract with the Council of Safety.

And Mr. Scott, Mr. Hoot, Mr. Plater, Mr. Hooper, and Mr. Barnes, were elected by ballot a Committee for that purpose.

Whereas it is necessary that the peace and good order of the Province should be maintained as much as possible; and it appearing to this Convention that sundry Officers, appointed for that purpose, have refused to take upon them the respective trusts to which they have been appointed, alleging scruples to take the usual Oaths to the Government, during the unhappy differences with Great Britain: