the charge, and wastes the precious time in idle harangues on trivial matters, betrays a very weak or wicked mind, and, like Nero, would have fiddled while Rome was burning.

ARMATUS.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COLONEL HALL.

SIR: Captain Montagu, of the Fowey ship of war, having broken the truce, by receiving a number of servants belonging to the good people of this Province, and refusing to deliver them on demand made by a flag sent for that purpose, we are directed by the Convention to order part of your battalion to keep guard in the most proper places, from the mouth of South River to the mouth of Fishing Creek, to repel any violence which may be offered by the said vessel or her tenders, as also to prevent servants or slaves making their escape from their masters. You will, therefore, take care to station at the most convenient places on that coast such of your Militia, well armed, and provided with ammunition, as can be prudently spared for the said purposes, and that you continue to keep guard on that station until the above vessel shall have sailed down the bay.

We are, &c.

To Colonels Hall and Weems, respectively.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAIN BEALL.

SIR: As we are apprehensive that the ship of war on her return down the bay may make some attempt to land, either to procure provisions or make depredations, we have, therefore, sent you forty-three muskets and seventeen rifles, in good order, that you may be enabled to defeat any such designs. You will, by the return of the cart, send us such of the arms as you now have that are so defective and bad that cannot be used. We imagine that these muskets and rifles are more than you will want at Drum Point, and that the overplus you will send to Captain Thomas. We expect that arms are arrived at Port Tobacco, for the troops stationed there, before this time.

We are, &c.

To Captain Rezin Beall.

ANNAPOLIS (MARYLAND) COMMITTEE.

William Wallen, of this city, was brought before this Committee, in consequence of an order given to Captain James Tootell, of this day, for apprehending said Wallen, as having committed an offence of a most dangerous nature:

Resolved, That Captain Tootell do carry said Wallen to the Council of Safety, now sitting; and that the proceedings of the Committee of Calvert County, which were sent to this Committee, and in pursuance whereof the said Wallen was taken into custody, be sent to the said Council.

A true copy of the proceedings:

STEPHEN STEWARD.

ROBERT ALEXANDER TO MARYLAND CONVENTION.

Newington, June 25, 1776.

SIR: The express delivered me this morning a letter from Mr. Duvall, requiring my attendance in Convention. Had my health permitted, I should have been at Annapolis the first of the meeting; but the wound in my ankle has hitherto and still continues to disable me. Since last Sunday week I have not been out of my house, and it is with difficulty and great pain I can even walk from one room to another.

In this situation, I trust my absence will be thought excusable, for, credit me, sir, when I assure you, that duty to my constituents and inclination both prompt me to join in the counsels of my country, and more especially at this very interesting period.

With respect for the Convention, and personal esteem for yourself, I am your Honour’s most obedient servant,

ROBERT ALEXANDER.

To the President of the Maryland Convention.

JOHN RODGERS TO MARYLAND CONVENTION.

Philadelphia, June 25, 1776.

SIR: Since writing the enclosed the post arrived from York, and brought a letter from General Sullivan to the Congress, giving a melancholy account of another unfortunate event in Canada. General Thompson, who was ordered, with a party of two thousand men, to dislodge the English forces at the Three Rivers, was attacked by General Bur-goyne and totally routed. Thompson, and several others, are taken prisoners, and about one hundred and fifty of our men killed; the rest returned to the Sorel. The letter says further (I think) Arnold had abandoned Montreal; and that, upon the whole, our affairs in Canada bear a most unpromising aspect.

This bad news is, in some measure, counterbalanced by more agreeable intelligence from Boston. The publick papers from thence inform us that the English ships of war are all driven away from the Boston harbour; and private letters say that five transports, with Scotch troops, have been taken lately and carried into the eastern ports. The post is just setting off, and will not allow me to be more particular. We shall, by the next opportunity, transmit to you a more full and satisfactory account.

A report prevails here, which is believed to be true, that a most diabolical plot to assassinate the General at York, blow up the magazine, and spike the cannon, has lately been discovered. Many people, it is said, have been thrown into prison, and some remain under guard; among the rest is the Mayor of the city. What with external and internal enemies, we fancy we shall very shortly have our hands full of business.

We are, sir, with great esteem, your most obedient servant,

J. RODGERS.

To the Honourable Matthew Tilghman, Esq., President of the Maryland Convention.

GEORGE CLINTON TO JOHN McKESSON.

Philadelphia, June 25, 1776.

DEAR SIR: On Friday last the Congress passed a resolve for raising a regiment of Continental troops in our Colony; and although the augmentation of the Army appeared necessary, yet the raising a whole regiment in the Colony of New-York at this time might not, perhaps, have been ordered, were it not with a view of providing for those officers who have much merit from re-engaging in the service of their country last fall, after the surrender of Montreal, and continuing through a most fatiguing and dangerous campaign in Canada during the winter. Major Dubois is highly recommended to Congress, as well by the General Officers as the Committee who lately returned from Canada, (as I am informed,) and I doubt not he will be appointed Colonel of the regiment, especially as rank as well as merit entitle him to it. The Congress having heretofore left the appointment or recommendation of the officers of new levies with the Provincial Congress in which the same are raised, and being therefore loath now to break through this rule, is (I am informed) the only reason why the officers to this regiment are not appointed here. It will be wise, therefore, to take special care to make the appointments so as to give no just cause of complaint, by appointing the officers according to the rank they bear in the arrangement made by General Montgomery at Montreal, on their re-engaging in the service till the 15th of April ultimo, except where real and extraordinary merit, or the contrary, may warrant a deviation from this general rule. Enclosed I send you the arrangement made by General Montgomery of the officers of my brother’s regiment, and have noted such as are already provided for in the regiment to be recruited in Canada by Colonel Nicolson. I also enclose you a list of the officers in Colonel Nicolson’s Regiment, as those who are already provided for by appointment in that regiment can have no pretensions to any appointment or promotion in this, they having been provided for while it was uncertain whether any more troops would have been raised. General Montgomery’s faith to his officers also re-engaged in the service at Montreal, will not be kept, unless the appointments in this regiment are made agreeable to the arrangement, as thereby many officers acquired new and higher rank in their respective regiments than what they had by the printed arrangement made by