That Elisha Hall, sen., William Rumsey, and Thomas Savin, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Cecil county.

That John Page, William Bordley, and William Rogers, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Kent county.

That Thomas Ringgold, Jonathan Hall, and Nathaniel Wright, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Queen Ann's county.

That John Goldsborough, Henry Banning, and William Perry, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Talbot county.

That Bartholomew Ennals, Daniel Sulivane, and Henry Hooper, Q. S. esrqs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Dorchester county.

That Foster Goldsborough, Jeremiah Colston, and John White, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Caroline county.

That Thomas Hayward, Andrew Francis Cheney, and Thomas Bruff, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Somerset county.

That Benton Harris, John Selby, and Thomas Martin, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Worcester county.

That the mayor, recorder, and aldermen of the city of Annapolis, or any three or more of them, be judge of and hold the election for the city of Annapolis.

That James Calhoun, John Merryman, and William Aisquith, esqrs., or any one or two of them, be judge of and hold the election for Baltimore town.

That if any of the said elections cannot be carried on for the want of judges, the committee of observation for the county in which such election is to be made, shall appoint judges, who shall qualify, and proceed as aforesaid.

That a clerk or clerks be appointed by the said judges for taking the polls at the said elections.

That every judge of the election, before he proceeds to take or receive any vote, shall take the following oath or affirmation, to wit: "I, A. B. do swear or affirm, that I will permit all persons to vote, who shall offer to poll at the election now to be held for

city, or

county, town, who in my judgment shall, according to the resolutions of convention, be entiled to poll at the same election; and that I will not admit any person to poll

at the same election, who before his voting shall be objected against by any candidate, or any two of the electors, if such person is not in my judgment qualified to vote as aforesaid; and will in all things execute the office of judge of the said election, according to the best of my knowledge, without favor or partiality. So help me God."

And every clerk before he enters any vote on the polls, shall take the following oath, to wit: "I do declare, that I will well

and faithfully, without favor, affection, or partiality, execute the office of clerk of the election for county, the city of Annapolis, or Baltimore town, according to the best of my knowledge. So help me God."

That the said judges certify under their hands and seals to the convention, on the day appointed for their meeting as aforesaid, the names of the members chosen in their county, district, city, or town, respectively.

Resolved, That nine persons be elected by ballot a council of safety, and be and continue such until the intended convention shall make further order therein, and that until that time, they, or any four or more of them, having taken the oath prescribed by the December convention, shall have and exercise the like and same powers as the present council of safety had or might exercise under the resolutions of the several conventions heretofore held for this colony. And may, on good ground for suspicion, cause any person to be arrested and put to security for his good behavior and appearance at the next convention, or may order any such suspected person to remove to and continue within any particular place or limits within the province they shall assign, or commit him to close prison until the meeting of the convention.

Resolved, That on the said first day of August next, this present convention shall be dissolved, and all the power and authority thereof cease and determine. And that the delegates elected shall meet at the city of Annapolis, and hold the next convention on Monday the twelfth day of August.

Whereas, it is represented that a number of people residing on the south and west sides of the lines lately run by commissioners, under the decree, order or commission of the high court of chancery of England, although they were formerly under the government of Pennsylvania and the three lower counties, are lately excluded therefrom, and are desirous of being under the government and protection of Maryland; therefore, Resolved, That all the land on the south and west sides of the said lines be henceforth taken and accepted as within the jurisdiction of Maryland, and as part of

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 with-out 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