being made by Mr. William Lux that the Council of Safety had communicated a Letter to him from Doctor Stevenson that this Committee had taken two barrels or casks of Powder from him, for which they had never paid him, or delivered the Powder, the Chairman is requested to write a Letter to the Council of Safety requesting a copy of the Letter.

The Committee took Mr. Alexander’s Letter into consideration, and are of opinion, that as Doctor Stevenson has neither signed the Association or Enrollment, he stands in the light of an enemy to America, and therefore it would be dangerous to trust so much Powder in his hands. They therefore will write to the Council of Safety for their orders therein.

Complaint having been made to this Committee that a certain John Burns keeps a Billiard-Table, and that Shuffle-Boards are kept at John Smith’s and at Abraham Gorman’s, at all of which houses encouragement was given to gaming, and great disorders committed, to the injury of the Militia and the Sailors and Mariners employed in the publick service, as well as others; and the same being contrary to the Regulations and Resolves of the honourable the Continental Congress:

Resolved, That the Chairman issue his Summons for the said persons to attend the Committee to-morrow, to answer the complaints alleged against them.

GEORGE LUX, Secretary.

The Committee met on Monday, June 25, 1776:

Present: Samuel Purviance, Jun., Chairman, W. Buchanan, A. Buchanan, Z. McCubbin, W. Wilkinson, B. Griffith, W. Aisquith, J. Calhoun, A. Brittain, T. Sollers, J. Boyd, D. Shaw, E. Talbot.

Moses Galloway having applied to this Committee in behalf of Sater Stevenson and Nathan Perigo, two persons assessed by the Committee as non-Associators and non-Enrollers, alleging that they, being Methodist Preachers, do come under the denomination of Clergymen, and therefore, by the Resolves of the Convention, are not finable.

The Committee considered the allegations of Mr. Galloway, and a Certificate signed by Thomas Rankin on behalf of the Yearly Conference of the Society called Methodists, setting forth the said Nathan Perigo is a Local Preacher among them, and are of opinion that the allegations of the said Moses Galloway, in behalf of the said Sater Stevenson and Nathan Perigo, should be stated and transmitted to the Council of Safety now sitting, in order to obtain their sense how far the exemption of Clergymen ought to be extended towards persons professing themselves Preachers among the Society called Methodists, Quakers, or other denominations, where the rules of ordination, or modes of constituting Clergymen, are not generally and explicitly known.

Captain Job Garritson applied for four Guns seized by him from non-Associators and non-Enrollers in Back River, Lower Hundred, for the use of such persons in his Company as have not Arms; which was granted, on condition of his giving a certificate and receipt for the same at the price they were appraised at.

Captain Zachariah McCubbin having complained to this Committee that the Certificate lately produced by Mr. Thomas Lloyd of his having enrolled in Captain Ellicott’s Company, was done merely with a design to screen himself from the fine assessed on him by the Committee; and also that the said Lloyd hath been guilty of giving evil advice to an Enroller in his Company, tending to counteract the orders of the Officers of said Company, and promote discord among the Members thereof:

Ordered, That the said Thomas Lloyd be summoned to attend this Committee, next in order, to answer to the charge of Captain McCubbin.

A Certificate from Captain Gist Vaughan was produced, wherein it appears that Mr. Stephen Gill was elected Captain, Mr. Thomas Bond First Lieutenant, Mr. James Trapnall Second Lieutenant, and Mr. Nicholas Gill Ensign, of a Company of Militia in North Hundred.

At a meeting of the Committee, June 25, 1776;

Present: Samuel Purviance, Jun., Chairman, Andrew Buchanan, Z. McCubbin, William Aisquith, Benjamin Griffith, James Calhoun, Abraham Brittain, E. Talbot, Darby Lux.

Complaint being made by Cumberland Dugan that Dr. Henry Stevenson had reflected upon all Congresses, Conventions, Councils of Safety, and Committees, and also that he had been guilty of sundry other practices inimical to American liberty, and tending to disunite the people, the Committee summoned the said Dr. Stevenson to appear before them, which he accordingly did; but Mr. Dugan having gone abroad before his Summons was written, they postponed the determination of the first charge until Monday next, at which time it is expected Mr. Dugan will be present, and proceeded to examine sundry witnesses respecting the latter part of the charges; and it appears that Dr. Stevenson had advised a certain Alexander McGee (who had been put under guard by this Committee for inimical practices and dangerous doctrines by him propagated among the people) to persevere in his principles, for that he should soon be relieved; for which conduct, and that of his being a non-Associator, they adjudge him to give security for his good behaviour, agreeable to order of the Convention, and that he attend the Committee on Monday next, at ten o’clock, to answer the other charge exhibited against him by Mr. Dugan.

At a meeting of the Committee, July 1, 1776:

Present: Samuel Purviance, Jun., Chairman, A. Buchanan, W. Buchanan, J. Merryman, Z. McCubbin, John E. Howard, W. Aisquith, J. Calhoun, B. Griffith, A. Brittain, T. Sollers, T. Gist, D. Lux, J. Griest, J. Gillis, T. Rutter, E. Talbot, J. Cockey, F. Decker, George Lux, Secretary.

Mr. Benkid Willson (who, with his two sons, were some time ago fined by this Committee as non-Enrollers) formerly alleged that his eldest son resided in Harford County, and consequently is liable to be fined there, and his youngest son is under sixteen years of age. But as Captain James Bosley has informed this Committee that he was told by the elder son of the younger’s being above sixteen years old, and also by others that the elder son was not assessed in Harford County, on a presumption of his being a resident in Baltimore, the fines were continued.

Mr. Jacob Wright (son of William) is certified to be subject to fits, and is thereby exempted from the fine imposed upon him as a non-Enroller.

Mr. Thomas Lloyd attended, agreeable to Summons, to answer to the complaint exhibited against him by Captain Zach. McCubbin, of his having given evil advice to an Enroller in said Captain McCubbin’s Company; and Mr. Peter Hush being sworn, deposed that he was at John Ellicott’s Mill one day with Thomas Lloyd, who told him that Captain McCubbin ought to be broke for sending a file of men for him, and that he was a d———d fool if he did not complain to the Committee.

Samuel Kinsey deposed and said: That he heard Thomas Lloyd one day say that he was sure if Peter Hush would complain to the Committee of Captain McCubbin’s sending a file of men to seize him, and bring him before the Committee, he might be broke, as he exceeded the bounds allotted him by the Convention, and therefore was guilty of an infringement upon the liberties of the people.

Upon motion, Resolved, unanimously, That it appears to this Committee that it was a rule entered into and agreed upon by a large majority of Captain McCubbin’s Company, if any member of said Company neglected to muster at three successive meetings, the Captain should be empowered to send a file of men to bring such defaulter to the mustering-ground, and there know his reasons why he refused or neglected to attend the meetings, in order to fine him or not, as might be judged expedient, whereby this rule has every force and sanction of a law in said Company; therefore this Committee think that Mr. Thomas Lloyd, in his advice to Mr. Henry Hush, has been guilty of creating dissensions, a conduct highly inimical to American liberty, when unanimity is essentially requisite to maintain our dearest rights: Therefore this Committee do determine that the Chairman do censure Mr. Lloyd for such conduct, as highly reprehensible and dangerous, and admonish him to be more cautious in his behaviour for the future; which censure was accordingly passed upon Mr. Lloyd by the Chairman, and a copy of it furnished to him.