hence fully determined to do all in their Power to bring about a Reconciliation. The Proceedings of the Provincial Convention, which has been sitting these last ten Days and broke up yesterday, have been conducted with great Temper and Moderation considering the general Spirit of the Times, and that, at the beginning of their Deliberations, they received the alarming Account from the Northward of a total Overthrow of His Majesty's Forces, which was generally believed by them, and which I could no otherwise contradict (not having received particulars) than by declaring that, to me, as a military Man of some Experience, the Accounts varied so, and were all of them so replete with Absurdities, that, without taking the Improbability into Consideration, and the torpid State they must presume the General and Admiral to be in, it could not but be in great part false, and I am happy that it has turned out so, and hope that what has passed, and a Cessation of further Hostilities, may induce the Congress immediately to recommend it to the several Colonies, by their Delegates, to make proper Applications respectively for the Redress of the Grievances they Complain of, after the mode pointed out in your Lordships Letter, and the Parliamentary Resolve. I shall have the Honor of inclosing the published Proceedings of the Convention here, and the Instruction given to the Delegates, as also our yesterdays, and a Philadelphia Paper, which contains the same, and some of the absurd Accounts that has been received from the Northward.

Being well assured that the Lower House would not proceed upon any Business before the Meeting at Philadelphia, the Assembly stands prorogued by Advice of the Council to the 5th of June, and when they meet, I ardently wish and hope to be enabled to transmit to your Lordship, such dutifull Applications as His Majesty has been graciously pleased to declare his Readiness to accept, and agreeable to the Resolve of the House of Commons, and shall impatiently hope for, and most sincerely rejoice at, their happy Effect.

I have made it my indispensable duty to give the utmost Attention to preserve peace and good Order within this Government, in which it gives me pleasure to think I have not been unsuccessfull. Since my Return I have not slept twice out of this

City, where I found Disorder had been rather too active during my short Absence. I cannot, in the least, Consistently with that Duty to His Majesty, which will ever govern my Conduct, think, at this Time of Trouble and Danger, of abandoning my Post on account of my private Affairs in England. But, I hope, when Tranquility is restored, His Majesty will not be displeased at my availing myself of the gracious Indulgence I had the Honor of soliciting on that Head when in England, and your Lordship may rely on my exerting myself to the utmost in promoting the Accomplishment of Our Gracious Sovereigns ardent Wishes to see a Reconciliation of the unhappy Differences that have given His Majesty so much Concern. That, His Majesty may long continue to reign in Peace and Tranquillity restored, is the heartfelt Wish of My Lord, Your Lordships most respectful and obedient humble Servant

[This Letter incloses :

Rob Eden.

Instructions to the Delegates of Maryland, being a resolution of the Provincial Convention held at Annapolis, 1 May 1775 fo. 389 Meeting of Deputies of Maryland, 24 April to 3 May 1775 containing the foregoing resolution. Printed in Force's American Archives, 4th series, II. 379, fo. 398. Maryland Gazette, No 1547, 4 May 1775, fo. 399. Pennsylvania Packet, No 184, 1 May 1775, fo. 403, contains letter from James Lockwood of 24 Apl. 1775 same as inclosed in Govt Eden's letter on folio 375.]

Gentlemen

EDEN TO B. CALVERT AND OTHERS.

Annapolis 12th Aug. 1775

I was informed in the Country, and in Town since my Return, that a very unhappy Outrage has been lately committed by burning a Vessel in West River, within your District, and destroying, and plundering her Cargoe.

I wish to have the best Information on this Matter, & therefore Apply to you as in your Department you may be able to give it. Reports are so indistinct that I know not what to depend upon. I have heard the Affair was taken up, & examined by one of the

Committees, and that this Act of Violence was against their Sentiments, as well as against the general Opinion and Inclination.

The Violence may be imputed to a general Disposition unless Suspicion be obviated by a just Representation, and I should be sorry that a general Reproach and Censure should be the Consequence of an Outrage committed by a few Rash and licentious Individuals. It will be expected from me that I should give a Circumstantial Account of this alarming, irritating, violent Proceedure; it is expedient for the general Interest & Welfare of the Country, that such dangerous Violations of Order, and Property be checked; and I think it my Duty, by fixing the Charge of Violence and Depredation on the real Perpetrators, to prevent undeserved Imputations on the Innocent, and therefore request that you will give me the fullest and best Information that you have received, and are able to obtain of the Circumstances of this Outrage, and of the Persons concerned in it. I shall thereby be enabled to Act as my Duty and Inclination direct, and am, With Concern at having this occasion of giving you Trouble,

In answer to the Letter your Excellency was pleased to write to us the 12th Instant, respecting the Ship Totness Capt. Warren, which was lately destroyed about Twelve Miles below this Place: We can only report to your Excellency, from hearsay, that the Vessel being bound from Liverpool to Baltimore with a Cargo of Salt and other Articles on Board, run on Shore in the Night of

the 9th or 10th of last Month on a Shoal, near some Islands called the three Sisters, where She lay several Days without the Master taking any Measures to get off by lightening Her. The second or third Day after she had remained in such Situation, some Gentlemen, who had been chosen by the Inhabitants of that part of the Province to see that the Association relative to the Non-Importation of Goods from Great Britain should be strictly observed, went on Board, asked the Master some Questions about his Cargo, & Destination of his Vessel; & being assured by him that it was not his Intention to land any of his Cargo there, They did not interfere farther but consented to his proceeding to Baltimore if He should think fit to do so. The ship continuing aground some Days afterwards, & no Steps being taken by the Master to get her off, many People at different times went on Board & a Report was spread that there were many other Goods than the Master had acknowledged to the Committee; & that He was not sollicitous to get his Vessel off, or to proceed to any other Place. It likewise became a Subject of Conversation that this was the Third Ship which M Gildart, of Liverpoole had sent thence loaded to this Province, after He had been apprized of the Association; & that some Persons from Liverpool had declared he avowed a Resolution to pay no Regard to it. Such Discourses having made an Impression on a Number of young People who live in the Neighborhood, They went on Board, and after advising the Master & Crew, to take out such things as were their own private Property set Her on Fire; but we have not yet been able to learn certainly who the Persons were that committed such Outrage, nor did the Master or any of the Crew come to, or pass thro this Place, so as to give either of us an Opportunity of asking them any Questions. Had not the Vessel been unluckily run ashore the Master w probably have been ordered back from Baltimore, without landing the Cargo; but we do not think any Attempt would have been made either there or in this Place to destroy Her, unless Goods had been landed; in which Case she would not, We apprehend have been in safety any where in this, or either of the Neighbouring Provinces.

We are (with real Respect) Your Excellency's most Obedient / humble Servants

The Communication of Intelligence, of any sort indeed, from America to England, as must be well known by your Lordship being so difficult I hope I stand in need of no further Apology for not having wrote oftener, than adding that, till lately, I have had nothing material from this Province to communicate, which was not in common with what regarded the proceedings of the Continental Congress, and what your Lordship would have the fullest Information of, in the Common Prints & General Accounts from the Northward. Having now a safe Opportunity, by a Ship of my Brothers, (The Annapolis Capt! Hanrick) I shall endeavour to lay before your Lordship two or three late Occurrences in this Province, which have given me great Uneasiness, but which I had no power to prevent, altho' I had Influence enough to prevent the Excesses, at first proposed, being carried into Execution, in some Instances, and more especially with Regard to the Snow Adventure, Capt? Henzell, belonging to M: Farness, in London, that came to this City with about seventy indented Servants, and the Captain, it seems, had brought out 200 Dozen of Porter, several chaldron of Coals, & some Ct of Cheese, under a Pretence, as alledged, of stopping at Madeira, and disposing of them there; The Committee therefore, thinking such a proceeding a premeditated Infringement of the Association, ordered him to return to England, Servants and all. I contrived to have the Barbarity of such a Measure, where it so greatly affected the Servants and Passengers, represented; and the Committee, on meeting again,