speedy and effectual means to obtain a repeal of the said act or acts, and preserve North America and her liberties.

IV. Resolved, Notwithstanding the people of this provice will have many inconveniences and difficulties to encounter, by breaking off their commercial intercourse with the mother country, and are deeply affected at the distress which will be thereby necessarily brought on many of their fellow-subjects in Great Britain, yet their affection and regard to an injured and oppressed sister colony, their duty to themselves, their posterity, and their country, demand the sacrifice and therefore that this province will join in an association with the other principal and neighbouring colonies, to stop all exportations to, and importations from, Great Britain, until the said acts and bills, if passed into acts be repealed: the non-importation and non-exportation to take place on such future day as may be agreed on by a general congress of deputies from the coloniesthe non-export of tobacco to depend and take place only on a similar agreement by Virginia and North Carolina, and to commence at such time as may be agreed on by the deputies for this province and the said colonies of Virginia and North Carolina.

V. Resolved, That the deputies from this province are authorised to agree to any restrictions upon exports to the West Indies, which may be deemed necessary by a majority of the colonies at the general congress.

VI. Resolved, That the deputies from this province are authorised, in case the majority of the colonies should think the importation of particular articles from Great Britain to be indispensably necessary for their respective colonies, to admit and provide for this province such articles as our circumstances shall necessarily require.

VII. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that the merchants and others, venders of goods and merchandizes within this province, ought not to take advantage of the above resolve for non-importation, but that they ought to sell their goods and merchandize that they now have, or may hereafter import, at the same rates they have been accustomed to do within one year last past; and that if any person shall sell any goods which he now has, or hereafter may have, or may import, on any other terms than above expressed, no inhabitant of this province ought, at any time thereafter, to deal with any such person, his agent, manager, factor, or storekeeper, for any commodity whatever.

VIII. Resolved unanimously, That a subscription be opened in the several counties of this province, for an immediate collection for the relief of the distressed inhabitants of Boston, now cruelly

deprived of the means of procuring subsistence for themselves and families, by the operation of the said act for blocking up their har bour, and that the same be collected by the committees of the respective counties, and shipped by them in such provisions as may be thought most useful.

IX. Unanimously resolved, That this committee embrace this public opportunity, to testify their gratitude and most cordial thanks to the patrons and friends of liberty in Great Britain, for their pa triotic efforts to prevent the present calamity of America.

X. Resolved, That Matthew Tilghman, Thomas Johnson, jun., Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, and Samuel Chase, Esqrs., or any two or more of them, be deputies for this province, to attend a general congress of deputies from the colonies, at such time and place as may be agreed on to effect one general plan of conduct, operating on the commercial connection of the colonies with the mother country, for the relief of Boston and preservation of American liberty; and that the deputies for this province immediately correspond with Virginia and Pennsylvania, and through them with the other colonies, to obtain a meeting of the general congress, and to communicate, as the opinion of this committee, that the twentieth day of September next will be the most convenient time, and the city of Philadelphia the most convenient place, for a meeting, which time and place, to prevent delay, they are directed to propose.

XI. Resolved unanimously, That this province will break off all trade and dealings with that colony, province, or town which shall decline or refuse to come into the general plan which may be adopted by the colonies.

XII. Resolved, That the deputies for this province, upon their return, call together the committees of the several counties, and lay before them the measures adopted by the general congress.

Ordered, That copies of these resolutions be transmitted to the committees of correspondence for the several colonies, and be also published in the Maryland Gazette.

By order,

JOHN DUCKETT, Clk. Com.

At a Provincial Meeting of DEPUTIES, chosen by several of the counties in MARYLAND, held at the city of Annapolis, November the 21st, 1774, and continued by adjournment to Friday the 25th day of the same month, Were present,

FIFTY-SEVEN DEPUTIES.

MATTHEW TILGHMAN, Chairman.

JOHN DUCKETT, Clerk.

The delegates appointed to represent this province, at the late continental congress, laid the proceedings of the congress before this meeting, which being read and considered, were unanimously approved of: And thereupon it is Resolved, That every member of this meeting will, and every person in the province ought, strictly and inviolably to observe, and carry into execution, the association agreed on by the said continental congress.

It is recommended by this meeting, That, during the present time of public calamity balls be discontinued.

Several counties not being fully represented, from the want of sufficient notice of the time of this meeting, Resolved, That this meeting will adjourn to Thursday the 8th day of December next; and that a letter be wrote to those counties, earnestly to request them to send their deputies to attend punctually on that day, as matters of very great importance to this province will be then taken into consideration.

The meeting adjourned to Thursday the 8th day of December JOHN DUCKETT, Clerk.

next,

At a meeting of the DEPUTIES appointed by the several counties of the province of MARYLAND, at the city of Annapolis, by adjournment, on the 8th day of December, 1774, and continued till the 12th day of the same month, Were present,

EIGHTY-FIVE MEMBERS.

Mr. JOHN HALL in the Chair. And,

Mr. JOHN DUCKETT, Clerk.

The proceedings of the continental congress were read, considered, and unanimously approved.

Resolved, That every member of this convention will, and every person in the province ought, strictly and inviolably to observe and carry into execution the association agreed on by the said continental congress.

On motion, unanimously resolved, That the thanks of this convention be given, by the chairman, to the gentlemen who represented this province as deputies in the late continental congress, for their faithful discharge of that important trust: And the same was done accordingly.

To increase our flocks of sheep, and thereby promote the woollen manufacture in this province, Resolved, That no person ought to kill any lamb, dropt before the first day of May yearly, or other sheep, after the first day of January next, under four years of age.

To increase the manufacture of linen and cotton, Resolved, That every planter and farmer ought to raise as much flax, hemp, and cotton, as he conveniently can; and the cultivation thereof is particularly recommended to such inhabitants of this province, whose lands are best adapted to that purpose. And Resolved, That no flax-seed of the growth of the present year, ought to be purchased for exportation, after the twelfth day of this month.

It being represented to this convention, that many merchants and traders of this province, from a scarcity of cash to make their remittances, and other causes, had sold their goods, within twelve months next before the twentieth day of October last, at, and sometimes even below, the prime cost; and that, in many different parts of this province, merchants had vended their goods at a very different advance on the prime cost; and it appearing to this convention to be unjust to compel such merchants to sell their goods at prime cost, and that one general rule, allowing a reasonable profit to the trader, and preventing him from taking advantage of the scarcity of goods which may be occasion

ed by the non-importation, would give great satisfaction to the merchants and people of this province, Resolved unanimously, that no merchant ought to sell his goods, at wholesale, for more than 112 one-half per cent.-at retail, for cash, for more than 130 per cent.-on credit, for more than 150 per cent. advance on the prime cost; and that no merchant, or other person, ought to engross any goods, wares, or merchandise whatsoever. And in case any question should arise, respecting the prime cost of goods, every merchant or factor possessing or owning such goods, ought to ascertain the same on oath, if requested to do it by the committee.

As a further regulation to enforce an observance of the late continental association, Resolved unanimously, That in all cases where breaches of the continental association, or the resolves of this convention, shall happen and be declared such by any committee of a county, no gentleman of the law ought to bring or prosecute any suit whatever for such offender: And if any factor shall commit any breach of the said association or resolves, that no gentleman of the law ought to bring or prosecute any suit for any debt due to the store of which the said factor has the management, after notice as aforesaid.

Resolved, That it is earnestly recommended by this convention, to the people of this province, that the determinations of the several county committees be observed and acquiesced in: That no persons, except members of the committees, undertake to meddle with or determine any question respecting the construction of the association entered into by the continental congress: And that the peace and good order be inviolably maintained throughout this province.

Resolved unanimously, That if the late acts of parliament, relative to the Massachusetts bay, shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force in that colony, or if the assumed power of parlia ment to tax the colonies shall be attempted to be carried into execution by force, in that or any other colony, that, in such case, this province will support such colony to the utmost of their power,

Resolved unanimously, That a well regulated militia, composed of the gentlemen, freeholders, and other freemen, is the natural strength and only stable security of a free government, and that such militia will relieve our mother country from any expense in our protection and defence; will obviate the pretence of a necessity for taxing us on that account, and render it unnecessary to keep any standing army (ever dangerous to liberty,) in this province: And therefore it is recommended to such of the said in