MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAIN VEAZEY.

SIR : We have written to the Committee of Observation of Kent County to hire wagons to convey a quantity of powder, sulphur, &c., from Chincoteague, in Accomack County, to Talbot Court-House, or to such place as Brigadier-General Chamberlaine shall order or direct; and as it will be expedient that a guard should attend the carriage of the, above articles, we desire you will order one of your Lieutenants, with ten men, on that service; the greatest care and attention is recommended to the officer you intrust on that business. You will direct your officer that when he shall arrive at Talbot Court-House, he immediately give notice of his arrival to General Chamberlaine, and await such orders as he may think proper to give respecting the powder and other articles. We are, &c. To Captain Edward Veazey.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COMMITTEE OF OBSERVATION FOR KENT COUNTY.

GENTLEMEN: Twenty-two barrels of sulphur, sixty barrels of gunpowder, fourteen muskets, ten bayonets, ten swivels, and two blunderbusses, with their furniture, belonging to this Province, are lately arrived in Chincoteague, in Accomack County, in Virginia, and are now under the care of Colonel Matthews, of that County. As wagons cannot be procured in any of the lower Counties, we request you would immediately hire and despatch as many as may be thought necessary, to convey the same from thence to Talbot Court-House, or to such place as Brigadier-General Chamberlaine shall order and direct. We are, &c.

JAMES HINDMAN TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Oxford, June 27, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: At one o’clock yesterday your letter came to hand, enclosing a resolve of Convention giving information of Captain Montagu’s conduct, with directions to be prepared to repel any violence offered by him, and to prevent his procuring provisions. Should have been very happy to have received your commands three hours sooner; by that means I might have prevented Mr. James Dickinson, William Thomas, John Stevens, and Nicholas Martin, going on board the Fowey man-of-war, with several head of sheep and hogs, some as a present for the Governour, others for sale. Mr. Dickinson informed me, some time before he set out, that the Governour had permission from your Honours to take live stock on board the man-of-war whenever she should come up, and that he was to procure it for him. This step has been taken by those gentlemen without the permission or knowledge of the Committee of the County. Immediately on receipt of your letter I hired a boat, put twenty men on board, sent in pursuit of them, with orders to bring those gentlemen with their sheep and hogs back again. About eight o’clock in the evening my boat met with them on their return, having safely lodged all their stock on board the man-of-war. I informed them of the resolve of Convention, and your orders to me. They have given me their honour to attend at any time and place you may direct, to answer for their conduct.

As I thought it necessary to inform you as soon as possible of this matter, have hired a boat for the purpose, in which Mr. Anderson goes over, and can fully relate to you every particular respecting those gentlemen. Shall be much obliged to you to send me by him an order for one hundred or one hundred and fifty pounds, as am getting the soldiers’ clothes made up, and frequently purchasing little necessary articles.

I am, gentlemen, your much obliged and obedient humble servant,

JAMES HINDMAN.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

To CHARLES CARROLL, Barrister, SAMUEL CHASE, THOMAS JOHNSON, WILLIAM PACA, and CHARLES CARROLL of CARROLLTON, Esquires, Delegates in Convention for ANNE ARUNDEL County :

GENTLEMEN: We, the freemen of Anne Arundel County, taking into serious consideration the present alarming situation of this Province, have determined to exercise our unquestionable right of instructing our Delegates in Convention. No apology is necessary; neither is any, we presume, expected from us. From the very nature of the trust, and the relation subsisting between constituent and representative, the former is entitled to express his sentiments, and to instruct the latter upon all points that may come under his consideration as representative. We, therefore, instruct you as follows:

1st. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution in Convention that the Instructions given by the Convention in December last, and renewed by the May Convention, to the Deputies of this Province in Congress, be rescinded, and the restrictions therein contained removed.

2dly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution in Convention that this Province be united with the other twelve Colonies represented in Congress, and that the Deputies of this Colony be authorized and directed to concur with the other United Colonies, or a majority of them, in Congress, in declaring the United Colonies free and independent States, and in forming such further compact and confederation between them in making foreign alliances, and in adopting such other measures as shall be adjudged necessary for securing the liberties of America, provided the sole and exclusive right of regulating the internal Government and police of this Province be reserved to the people thereof.

3dly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that the exercise of every kind of authority under the Crown of Great Britain be now totally suppressed, and that a Government be formed for this Province under the authority of the people only.

4thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that a Government for this Province ought not to be formed and carried into execution by this present Convention.

5thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that a full and equal representation of the people be appointed, and a new Convention be immediately elected, with full powers to form and establish a new Government; which Convention to continue until the last day of December next, and such Government be subject to such alterations and amendments as the people may judge necessary.

6thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that a Council of Safety be appointed, to exist during the intermediate time between the dissolution of the present and the meeting of the next Convention, and also Deputies to represent this Province in Congress.

7thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that all publick and private interest of moneys cease and determine during this time of general distress, such moneys only to be excepted as have been actually lent within the last three months, which shall be proved by the lender to have been lent within the time above-mentioned to the satisfaction of such persons as shall be appointed to determine the same, and that country produce be a lawful tender for the interest of the same, at the market price, to be regulated by two unexceptionable freeholders, upon oath, one to be appointed by each party.

8thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that the moneys appropriated by act of Assembly for opening, clearing, and straightening the roads in this County, be immediately applied to the payment of the publick charge of this County.

9thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that all rents may be paid, and shall be received, in country produce, at the same rates which such commodities bore at the time such contract was made or renewed; and the same to be set by the Committees of Observation until other persons are appointed.

10thly. That you move for, and endeavour to obtain, a resolution of Convention that no person be allowed to bring fire-arms, or any other weapons, offensive or defensive, to the ensuing election of Delegates in Convention.

Anne Arundel County, June 26, 1776.

At a meeting of the Deputies of the several Battalions of Militia of this County in conference, at the house of Mr. John Ball, in the City of Annapolis :

It was proposed that the following do pass as a resolve of this Committee: That this Committee do proceed to draw