of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 337

M^r Walter Hanson of Charles County thirty five Pounds Cur-
rency to defray his Expences in attending the Powder Mills
in Pennsylvania, or elsewhere, for Instruction; which said Sum
M^r Hanson agrees to refund in Case he does not erect a Pow-
der Mill in this Province; but if M^r Hanson should erect a
Powder Mill, it is left to the Consideration of the next Con-
vention; whether the money aforesaid be returned or not.
M^r Hanson further agrees to give this Province the Preference
in the Disposal of all Powder which he shall manufacture, pro-
vided he erects the said Mill.
Copy of Letter N^o 121 was sent to the Deputies for Mary-
land in Congress, and also Copy of N^o 122.
Adjourned till next Day 9 O'Clock.

C. S. J.

[Council to Smyth and Hands.]

To Tho^s Smyth & T. B. Hands, Esq"
Gentⁿ Very urgent affairs of the Province require your
Attendance in Council. We therefore request you will imme-
diately join us at Annapolis.
14th Ap^l 1776

C. S. C.

No. 119.

[Eden to Carroll, Hall and Paca.]

Annapolis 17^th April 1776.
Gentⁿ However unwelcome might be your Errand your
polite Behaviour to me Yesterday merits my Acknowledg-
ments: And on mature Consideration of the Proposal you
made to me, I find it incumbent on me to tell you that I will
not accord to it, nor can I, whilst I act, in any Degree, as Gov-
ernor of this Province, give my Parole to walk about in it, a
Prisoner at Large, under any Obligation whatever; the Neces-
sity must be obvious of my ceasing to act as Governor, should
I become a Prisoner; neither will I voluntarily give you any
Satisfaction on that head, further than that I had, and have,
no Intention during these Times, of leaving the Province,
whilst my continuing here can in my own Opinion, tend to
preserve its Tranquility. My Resolution was, as the Letters
you have of mine show, to continue here whilst I could serve
the Province; nor shall the Indignity now offered to me alter
it. I shall persevere in my line of Duty by what I think the
Rule of Right, but not without some Chagrin at knowing
myself unmeritedly the Object of Suspicion, altho' I have the
Satisfaction to think that a considerable part of the most
respectable Persons in the Province entertain a very different
Opinion of me, than is to be inferred from your proposed
Arrest.

Original.