Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

enemies of this state; it is therefore Resolved, That William Hayward, Esquire, of Talbot county, take into his custody the real and personal estate of the said Isaac Atkinson within this state, he first giving bond to the president of this convention in the penalty of two thousand pounds, conditioned that he will well and truly preserve and keep all the estate of the said Isaac Atkinson which shall come to his hands without waste or embezzlement, and return an inventory and appraisement on the oath of two freeholders, within six weeks after his taking the said estate into his possession, and shall render a true and just account, and dispose of the said estate and all profits therefrom arising in such manner as shall be hereafter directed by this convention or by law of this state, and that he will deliver in upon oath to the said appraisers the whole of the said estate which shall come to his hands.

On motion of Mr. Johnson, Resolved, That the council of safety be empowered to purchase and store thirty thousand bushels of salt in such of the islands in the West Indies as they may think proper and by proper opportunities to import the same into this state, to be sold out on the public account.

The committee appointed to receive proposals relative to the establishment of manufactories and report their opinion thereon, bring in and deliver to Mr. President the following report:

"Your committee of manufactories have considered the petition of John Wells, and are of opinion that it will not be of general and public utility to grant the said petition. All which is submitted to the honourable convention.

"Signed by order of the committee,

NICHOLAS HARWOOD, clk." Which was read, and the question was put, That the house concur therewith? carried in the negative.

The petition was then read, and the convention taking the same into consideration, Resolved, That the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds be advanced by the council of safety to John Wells of Baltimore county, he giving bond with good security to repay the same in linen, at such price as the convention, upon view thereof and inspection of a bill of costs of the same, shall think proper to allow; the said John Wells to deliver one third thereof within six months, and one third within nine months, and the remaining third within twelve months from the date of his bond, or to repay the said sum with interest at six per centum within one year, if the convention shall so order.

On motion, Leave given to bring in an ordinance for the division of Frederick county into three distinct and separate counties.

On reading and considering the petition of Conrard Theodore Wederstrandt, respecting an action commenced by him against Edward Meadows, Esq. commander of the Tartar man of war, in the provincial court, Resolved, That the said action, from the peculiar circumstances of the case, shall not abate by the death of either party, but that a trial of the same may be had, and judgment rendered, and all after process issue, as if both parties were living, without any regard to the death of either party: and if such death shall happen either before or after such trial, or judgment, or process, such death shall not be pleadable by the special bail in such action in discharge of himself.

Mr. Wootton brings in and delivers to Mr. President an ordinance for the division of Frederick county into three distinct and separate counties, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Jordan has leave of absence for a few days.

Convention adjourns till Monday, 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

MONDAY, September 2, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on Saturday, except Mr. Horsey, Mr. Chamberlaine, Mr. D. Smith, Mr. Jordan, Mr. J. Smith, and Mr. Bowie. The proceedings of Saturday were read.

Mr. Turbutt Wright and Mr
Queen Anne's county, and

Mr. Dent appeared in the house. James Kent, delegates returned for Mr. Thomas Smyth, a delegate returned for Kent county, appeared and took their seats in the house.

The committee of elections report to the convention, that by the return for Queen Anne's county, Turbutt Wright, James Kent, William Bruff, and Solomon Wright, Esquires, were duly elected delegates for said county.

Mr. Chase brings in and delivers to Mr. President a report from the committee appointed to examine the papers and depositions laid before the convention, relative to the conduct of Isaac Costin, which was read in the following words, to wit.

.66

By the committee appointed to examine the papers and depositions laid before this convention, relative to the conduct of Isaac Costin,

"Your committee beg leave to report, that they have examined the said papers and depositions, from which it appears, that about the middle of June last, Isaac Costin with many others went to their neighbours' houses, to inform them that Job Ingram and Barkley Townsend had come express from Lewistown, to let the people of Somerset county know that a large number of men were

coming from Lewistown to compel them to assent to independency. That Costin persuaded them to assemble at Merumsco dams to oppose it, and that in consequence of the said report, Isaac Costin with about two hundred people did assemble at Merumsco dams for the declared purpose of opposing independency. "Your committee further report, that about the twentieth of June last, Isaac Costin, in company with several persons, some of whom were armed, damned the whigs and rebels, that the company huzzaed for king George the third, and said they would wash the shirtmens shirts for them.

"Your committee further report, that sometime in the month of September or October last, the said Isaac Costin went with Levin Townsend on board of the man of war at Norfolk, and on their returning to their company, he strongly solicited and endeavoured to induce them to enlist under lord Dunmore, by offering them a guinea and a crown advance, and standing pay, a gun, bayonet, &c. and a suit of regimentals each. That the said Isaac Costin highly approved of the proposition of Levin Townsend to fit out a privateer to cruise in the bay, and agreed to act as his lieutenant, and to proceed up Pocomoke river to take the committee of Worcester county prisoners, and to carry them to lord Dunmore.

"All which is humbly submitted to the consideration of the honourable convention.

Signed per order of the committee.

JOHN JOHNSON, clerk." The order of the day for taking into consideration the several depositions and papers relative to the conduct of the said Isaac Costin was then read, and referred till Monday the 16th instant. Convention adjourns till to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock.

TUESDAY, September 3, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on yesterday. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Parnham, Mr. James Smith, Mr. T. Ringgold, and Mr. Bowie, appeared in the house.

On reading propositions from Abraham Boyd of Prince George's county, Resolved, That a company of militia to be composed of not less than fifty men be inmediately enrolled, and proper officers commissioned thereto, and that a warrant issue by the council of safety to Abraham Boyd for enrolling the said company, which shall be employed, paid, and continued for the same time as the militia lately raised in this state for the flying camp, the said company finding their own arms and blankets.

Adjourned till 3 o'clock.

POST MERIDIEM.

Convention met. Mr. Fitzhugh appeared in the house. Mr. Solomon Wright appeared and took his seat in the house.

The order of the day for taking into consideration the petition against the election of delegates for Anne Arundel county, being read, the same was withdrawn at the request of the petitioners. Mr. Lowes has leave of absence.

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

WEDNESDAY, September 4, 1776.

Convention met. All members present as on yesterday, except Mr. Lowes, Mr. William Ringgold, Mr. Earle, and Mr. Turbutt Wright. The proceedings of yesterday were read. Mr. Peter Chaille, Mr. Samuel Handy, and Mr. Josiah Mitchell, delegates returned for Worcester county, appeared and took their seats in the house.

Mr. Thomas Ringgold, from the committee appointed to enquire into the state and condition of manufactories, brings in and delivers to Mr. President the following report:

"In obedience to a resolve of the honorable convention, your committee for enquiring into the state and condition of manufactories beg leave to report, That not having had time to inquire into the propriety of the particular charges made in an account lately exhibited by the commissioners of the gun-lock factory at Frederick town, beg leave to defer their opinion thereon until they have an opportunity of making the necessary inquiries, and until proper vouchers are produced. Nevertheless, upon a general view of the account, your committee are enabled to report to your honorable house, that the sum of twelve hundred pounds common money has been advanced; that one thousand and seventy-six pounds nine shillings and eight pence has been laid out and expended, and that no more than to the amount of eighty-two pounds nineteen shillings and seven pence has been returned in work, valued in the opinion of your committee, at high prices, and only thirty-eight gun-locks have been produced; that from the best information the expense of continuing the factory on the public account will be very great, and under its present circumstances, no returns can be expected in any degree adequate to it. Your committee are therefore of opinion that the proposals of Elisha Winters of Chestertown, ought to be accepted on the following terms, viz:

"That the present buildings shall be finished, and such other additional buildings erected as shall be thought necessary for the carrying on the factory, and that for the accommodation of Elisha Winters' family, and the hands employed in the said factory, that

some convenient works shall be erected for the grinding and boring bayonets, ramrods, and files, and other materials, and the stream of water that runs near the works shall be conveyed thereto, if to be done at a moderate expense, and with the consent of the proprietors of the land who will be affected by it; that the whole amount of the ground, buildings and other improvements, together with the value of the tools on hand, shall be ascertained, and that Elisha Winters shall pay interest thereon at the rate of six per centum from the first day of October next, by way of rent yearly; that the materials on hand shall be valued, and the amount deducted out of the work to be received of him.

"That the said Elisha Winters shall pay by way of hire yearly for the servants that have been bought on the public account, in proportion to the cost of each respective servant, and the time he has to serve, to victual and clothe them at his own expense, to pay their levy and the necessary expense of a physician in case of sick

ness.

"And your committee are of opinion, that the said ground, buildings, and other improvements, tools and servants, shall remain under rent and hire respectively, on the above terms, after the expiration of the first year, if the said Elisha Winters shall continue to merit the confidence of the future legislature or governing pow er of this state for the time being.

"And your committee are further of opinion, that so long as the the said Elisha Winters continues to be a tenant to the public, he ought to furnish monthly at least one hundred and twenty-five good substantial muskets, well fitted with bayonets, steel ramrods, and strong neat mounting, and good double bridle locks, and swivels for slings, at four pounds five shillings common money for each, and if it should be in his power to make more than that number, your committee think he ought to deliver, and the public to receive them on the same terms; and whenever he shall discontinue to rent and hire as aforesaid, your committee are of opinion, that the said Elisha Winters ought to deliver up the said buildings and improvements in good order, and tools of the same kind and value of those that may be delivered to him, and the servants that may remain alive and in servitude as well clothed as he receives them.

"And if it should so happen that the said Elisha Winters should choose to purchase the whole property, that he shall have a right to do it on paying the sum on which he is to pay interest as aforesaid, and the then value of the servants in proportion to their cost and the time they may have to serve respectively, in good muskets fitted as aforesaid, in monthly deliveries of at least one hundred

« ПредишнаНапред »