Which in all the Colonies will soon be the Case, for by this Suspension, as it were, of the Laws, All power is getting fast into the Hands of the very lowest of the People. Those who first encouraged the Opposition to Government, and set these on this licentious Behaviour, will probably be amongst the first to repent thereof. I understand from Philadelphia that the intercepted Letters from some Members of the Congress which have fallen into General Gage's Hands, have made a disturbance there, and it is said that Adams's Letter has discovered the long suspected Views of the Eastern Colonies, which, with his Reflections on, and abuse of, M: Jn? Dickinson (the Farmer)'s Conduct, is likely to produce a Division in the Congress, but I beg leave to observe, My Lord, that I give not this as Matter of Fact: The Information came down in a private Letter from Phil yesterday—and it is here the important Whisper of the Day; and I only merely take the Liberty, in my private Correspondence with your Lordship, of mentioning it, as a Matter that may, or may not, be true. I shall only have one more Opportunity by Shipping Conveyance, of writing to your Lordship after the post comes in on Tuesday next, and I have before observed, the packet is a very unsafe Conveyance to America, and I can hardly suppose it otherwise from hence. I will, however, continue to give your Lordship such Information as may be in my Power for the good of His Majesty's Service, which it will ever be my Endeavour to promote to the utmost of my Abilities. I have only to add that receiving no Instructions from Home, and waiting for the same, and the breaking up of the Congress, I have prorogued the General Assembly of this Province to Tuesday, 7th Day of Nov! next. I am With great Respect Your Lordships most obedient & very humble Servt! To The Earl of Dartmouth Sec! of St for the Cold Rob Eden. My Lord, EDEN TO LORD GEORGE GERMAIN. Annapolis, 25th January 1776. The Delegates (of Maryland) in provincial Convention, as they stile themselves, having entered into some Resolves, of which I have procured Copies, I think it incumbent upon me to transmit them to your Lordship as speedily as possible, and therefore send this Packet by Express to New York, in hopes that it will arrive safely there, and be forwarded thence, there being no opportunity of a conveyance by any Vessel from this Province at present; tho I have some expectation of being able to send a duplicate of this by a Brig for London, in the course of the ensuing month. The enclosed Declaration (N° 3) I am informed is to be immediately published-so I have since heard are the Instructions (N° 2) but I know not if here, or at Philadelphia. I am convinced of the sincerity of the Councils Assurances contained in their Address to me the 29th day of August-a Copy of which I have had the Honour of transmitting to your Lordship, and again refer thereto among the inclosed (No 4) and, I must, my Lord, do the Members of the last Convention as they call it, and the People of this Province the Justice to say, I am satisfied they are as far from desiring an Independency that if the Establishment of it were left to their Choice, they would reject it with Abhorrence, so incompatible would such a State be with their real undissembled Attachment to, and Affection for His Majesty, His Family, and the mother Country: And I am confident they would esteem the full Restoration of Peace, and their former Intercourse with the Parent State, to be a most happy Event; an Event which, I doubt not, might be effectually produced, if they were replaced in the same State with respect to the Acts of Parliament that they possessed at the Conclusion of the last War. My Station and Residence here affording me opportunities of Information, in Justice to the people of this Province, as well as by the Duty & Regard I owe to my King, and native Country, I think myself obliged to make this candid and faithfull Representation of their Principles and Sentiments, and shall be supremely happy in any pleasing prospect of Success attending every Exertion in my power to bring about an happy Reconciliation between Great Britain & her Colonies, to the joint Honour and Welfare of both. I am sorry to have occasion to Apologize for the passage of His Majesty's post through this Province having been stopped by order of the Convention-I can only say on that Head, My Lord, that I have reason to think those concerned therein, are since sorry for it. Their real Excuse is that it happened early on the Meeting of the Convention, before several of the most moderate Men were come up, and was resolved upon, when the Minds of the People were extremely agitated by Lord Dunmore's Proclamation, giving Freedom to the Slaves in Virginia, our Proximity to which Colony, and our similar Circumstances with respect to Negroes augmenting the general Alarm, induced them to prohibit all Correspondence with Virginia by Land or Water. A Fortnight before that, the Post had been stopped in another Province, and Letters taken out, and opened; mine amongst others; and I have not had the Honour of receiving any Letters from your Lordships Office since your circular one of the 22nd & M Pownall's of May the 27th You will observe, my Lord, by the enclosed Paper (N: 5) that the Corporation of this City are willing to cooperate with me in preserving its Peace, should any of His Majesty's Ships of War arrive here I hope they will continue in that Disposition, and it shall be my Endeavour to strengthen it throughout the Province, as earnestly as it is to persevere in my Duty to my Sovereign, and promote that Tranquility which abler heads than mine will, I hope, before Midsummer, point out the path leading to the Recovery of restoring Happiness to Millions—which soon to see is the sincere Wish of My Lord, Your Lordships most respectful and most obedient humble Serv Robt Eden. [This letter encloses : No 2. Instructions to Delegates of Maryland Convention, 12 Jan. 1776. fo. 463. No 3. Declaration of Delegates 18 Jan. 1776. fo. 471. No 4. Maryland Minutes of Council, 29 August 1775. fo. 477. No 5. Minutes of meeting of Citizens of Annapolis of 30 Oct! & their Address to the Governor. Nov. 1775. fo. 485.] LORD GEORGE GERMAIN TO EDEN. Deputy Gov! Eden. Sir. Kew Lane 7th September 1776 It is with the greatest satisfaction that I can acquaint you with the King's entire Approbation of your conduct whilst you remained in Maryland, & supported the Authority of a Governor under difficulties which were thought here to be unsurmountable; when your staying there was no longer practicable, the judicious manner in which you left the Province does you equal honour. His Majesty not satisfied with laying his Commands upon me to express in this manner His Royal Approbation is pleased, as a public mark of His Favour, to create you a Baronet. It is with particular pleasure that I signify this to you, and at the same time I cannot omit the opportunity of assuring you that I shall on all Occasions be ready to do justice to your Merits. I am &c a Geo: Germain. EDEN TO LORD GEORGE GERMAIN. Downing Street 7th Sept! 1776 My Lord, His Majesty's entire Approbation of my Conduct in Maryland, which I had the Honour to be informed of by your Lordships very obliging Letter this Morning, affects me very sensibly; and I beg leave to assure Your Lordship that I recieve the Distinction which His Majesty is pleased to confer on me, with the most respectfull gratitude. His Majesty's Service my Heart having long been warmly attached, and firmly engaged to, And Life employed in, This Favour can only add Gratitude to zeal, in my future Endeavours to promote the same, to the utmost of my Abilities, on every Occasion wherein His Majesty may think proper to employ me. Be pleased, My Lord, to accept my sincerest Thanks for the singularly polite and obliging Manner in which your Lords? has been pleased to communicate to me His Majestys pleasure; and for your favourable Opinion and Representation of my past Conduct. I shall only add that to merit the Continuance of your Lordships Esteem shall be the Endeavour of, My Lord, Your Lordships most respectfull & obliged humble Servant Rob Eden. To The Rt Honble La G. Germain. Extract of a Letter from M: Eddis to Gov! Eden. New York 23 July 1777. The temper of the leading men in Maryland, still continues to be guided by a Spirit of Rancour and Violence; they appear confident of succeeding in their favorite Scheme of Independence, & of establishing their own Importance on the Ruins of the British Constitution; but if Conclusions may be drawn from favorable Appearances, the Majority of the People are disgusted with the Conduct of their Rulers, and ardently wish for a Restoration of legal Government. In the late Election for Senators & Assembly men a striking Evidence appeared of the above Observation; several who were chosen into the first Body declined serving, and when their Number was compleated, the lower House waited several days, unable to proceed to Business, on account of the Absence of divers Senators, whom fear, or Consciousness of their Error, kept from the Scene of Action. The Assembly men were returned by a very inconsiderable number of the People, a plain Indication that the Inhabitants in |