the counties thereof adjoining thereto; and that the said inhabitants share equally in the burthens, privileges and benefits, with others the people of this colony.

Resolved, That the said intended convention shall not continue beyond the first day of December next.

Resolved, That all the civil officers in this colony, except those concerned in the customs, continue to execute their several offices until the next convention shall make order therein, except only in such cases where they are restrained by the resolves of the conventions held for this colony.

Whereas, the sheriff of Baltimore county, by virtue of a writ of habere facias possessionem, delivered possession of certain lands and tenements recovered in the provincial court by Long's lessee against Wm. Pellett and others, to a certain Robert Long, against the order and determination of the May convention, Resolved, That the sheriff of said county deliver the said lands and tenements to the said William Pellett and others, or their agent, and cause as full and ample possession thereof, with all things thereto appertaining, to be to him or them restored as they had before the issuing the said writ.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock.

THURSDAY, July 4, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on yesterday, except Mr. Goldsborough, Mr. W. Ennalls, Mr. Potter, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. G. Dashiell, Mr. Waters, and Mr. Edmondson. The proceedings of yesterday were read.

On reading and considering the remonstrances and petitions of the fifth and twentieth battalions of militia in Queen Anne's county, praying a removal of the field officers of said battalions, Resolved, That the same be rejected.

The convention proceeded to ballot for deputies to represent this province in the continental congress, and the honorable Matthew Tilghman, esq., and Thomas Johnson; junr., William Paca, Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and Robert Alexander, esqrs., were duly elected for that purpose.

Resolved, That the honorable Matthew Tilghman, esq., and Thomas Johnson, jr., William Paca, Samuel Chase, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and Robert Alexander, esqrs., or a majority of them, or any three or more of them, be deputies to represent this colony in congress, in as full and ample manner as the deputies of this colony might have done under any appoint

ment heretofore made, until the next convention shall make further order therein.

Thereupon the convention considering that the said Thomas Johnson, esq., cannot discharge the duty of brigadier of the forces to be raised in this province in consequence of the resolves of congress of the third day of June last, to which command the convention, from a confidence in his capacity and abilities to fill the same with advantage to the public cause, and honor to himself, had appointed him, and also execute the trust reposed in him as a deputy in congress for this province; and being of opinion, that it is of very great importance to the welfare of this province, that it should not be deprived of the advice and assistance of the said Thomas Johnson in the public councils of the united colonies, and that his place can be supplied with less inconvenience in the military than in the civil department, therefore, Resolved, That a brigadier-general be elected by ballot in the room of the said Thomas Johnson, esquire.

The convention then proceeded to elect a brigadier-general in the room of Thomas Johnson, esqr., and John Dent, esqr., was elected by ballot to that office.

Captain Thomas Ewing was then elected colonel of the lower battalion of militia to be raised on the western shore for the flying camp, in the room of John Dent, esq.

On motion, the question was put, That the sum of ten shillings currency per day, and reasonable itinerant charges, be allowed to each member that shall hereafter attend any convention, and that the resolution of the 20th of December last, allowing them fourteen shillings per day, be repealed? Carried in the negative.

Whereas, the united colonies have been reduced to the fatal necessity of taking up arms, in defence of their indubitable and inestimable rights and liberties; and whereas several of the inhabitants of this colony, lost to every generous sentiment of liberty, and of love to their country and posterity, have kept up a traiterous correspondence with, and supplied the British troops and navy with provisions, and some of them have joined in arms, and others have acted as pilots on board the enemy's ships and vessels, whereby the safety and liberties of this and our sister colonies may be endangered; therefore,

Resolved, That if any inhabitant of this colony shall, after the fifth day of August next, within or without this colony, or any person whatever, being an inhabitant of any other of the united colonies, shall within this colony, after the said fifth day of August next, levy war against the united colonies, or any of them, or shall adhere to any person or persons bearing arms or employed in the service of Great Britain against the united colonies, or any of them; or shall afford such persons, or any of them, any aid or comfort, or shall give them, or any of them, or any subject of Great Britain, any intelligence of the warlike preparations or designs of the united colonies, or any of them; such person, on conviction thereof by a petit jury, after a presentiment by a grand jury, in a court to be erected in this colony by the next convention, for the trial of such offenders, shall suffer death without benefit of clergy, and forfeit all estate which he had at the time of the commission of the crime, to be applied to the use of this colony, unless such convicted person shall be pardoned by the person or persons invested with the power of granting pardons for such offences.

Resolved, That the several offences aforesaid shall receive the same constructions that have been given by the judges in England to such of the said offences as are enumerated in the statute of Edward the III., commonly called the statute of treasons.

Resolved, That if any inhabitant of this colony shall, after the fifth day of August next, within or without this colony, or any per

son whatsoever shall, within this colony, after the fifth day of August next, forge or counterfeit any of the bills of credit issued by the congress, by the assembly, or convention of any of the united colonies, or by any of the conventions of this colony, or alter the sum expressed in any of the said bills of credit, or shall offer or cause to be offered in payment, any such counterfeit, forged, or altered bills of credit, knowing the same to be counterfeit, forged, or altered, and shall be thereof convicted by a petit jury, after a presentiment by a grand jury, in a court to be erected in this colony by the next convention, or shall stand mute, or peremptorily challenge above the number of twenty of the pannel, shall suffer death as a felon, without benefit of clergy.

Ordered, That the above resolutions be immediately published in the Maryland Gazette.

Whereas, some doubts have arisen on the constructions of the resolutions of convention for ascertaining the rank of the regular officers in the pay of this province, it is therefore declared and Resolved, That no precedence or rank shall take place between the companies as such, of the corps of regular forces. That precedence between officers of the same rank take place according to the priority of the date of their respective commissions, but where two or more of such commissions bear date on the same day, precedence take place according as the company to which such officer belongs stands numbered on the proceedings of convention in December.

On reading the petition of Turbutt Betton, jun., of Queen Anne's county, Ordered, That the fine imposed on him be not levied, and that his petition be referred to the council of safety to take order therein, and to enforce obedience to the authority of this convention.

Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.

FRIDAY, July 5, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on yesterday, except Mr. Turbutt Wright, and Mr. Currer. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. J. Tilghman appeared in the house.

On motion, Resolved, That col. Henry Hollingsworth make two hundred gun barrels of at least one inch in the bore, and three feet six inches in length, drawbored; and that Mr. Elisha Winters mount, and stock, and fit, and complete the same with locks and swivels, as soon as may be, for the public use, for which they shall be paid a reasonable price.

On motion of Mr. Samuel Chase, (in obedience as he conceived

to the instructions of Anne Arundel county) the question was put, That all public and private interest of monies cease and determine during this time of general distress, such monies only to be excepted as have been actually lent within the three last 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 free holders upon oath, one to be appointed by each party? Carried in the negative.

Messrs. Carroll, bar., S. Chase, Letherbury, Sluby, Ringgold.

On motion, Resolved, That the committees of observation in the several counties of this province forbear to require of any non-associator any bond, or further to proceed against any non-associator for not giving bond according to the resolutions of December last, this convention having made more effectual provisions for the public security.

On motion, the question was put, That no person or persons in the community be executed for the payment of any debts, public or private, unless it is left in the option of the debtor to pay in the produce of the country at a reasonable price, to be ascertained by the county committees respectively? Carried in the negative.

On motion, the question was put, That a sum of money not exceeding five hundred pounds for Kent county be issued from the public treasury, for the purpose of answering the present necessities of the pensioners, Kent county aforesaid giving sufficient se