of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 339

made to Administration of the Temper and Principles of the
People of this Province, we sincerely lament the Necessity of
the Times, which urging us to guard against every Possibility
of Danger, forced us to a Measure so disagreeable to us and
which may prove an unmerited Treatment of your Excellency.
We acknowledge Sir, we know of no Information you have
given Administration, countenancing or encouraging the Intro-
duction of Troops into this Province: nor do we know of any
measures whatever to have been concerted or pursued by your
Excellency injurious to this Province or America.
We thank your Excellency for your Resolution of continu-
ing in your Station as long as permitted or the ostensible Form
of the established Government can contribute to preserve the
Peace of the Province, and we cheerfully acquiesce in your
Excellency's Assurance that as the Convention is shortly to
meet, they shall find you here. As far as our Influence
extends with that respectable Body, it shall not be wanting to
remove every Obstruction to your peaceable Departure, when-
ever your Excellency's Continuance here shall become incon-
sistent with your Instructions or your private Affairs shall
demand your Return.
With ardent wishes for a speedy Reconciliation upon hon-
orable and constitutional Terms, We have the honor to be
with sincere respect, &c.
18^th April 1776.

C. S. C.

[Council to Maryland Deputies.]

To the Deputies for Maryland in Congress.
Gentⁿ We have had an Alarm here of a very interesting
Nature. We think it advisable to communicate the Intelli-
gence by express, at the same Time letting you know what
we have done therein, and we are induced to expedite our dis-
patch because we do not know but that the Congress may
have taken some steps in the same Affair; Copies having
been forwarded to them from the Committee of Observation
for Baltimore County, to whom the whole Packett was trans-
mitted by the Committee of Safety of Virginia, we think very
improperly, as the address ought to have been made in the
first Place to us.
Some Time past Alexander Ross (a, great Second — we fear)
applied to our Board for a Permit to Lord Dunmore under
Pretence of private Business, and getting some Money that
was due to him as he alledged; he brought us a Letter from
two Gentlemen of the Congress, Mess^rs Alexander and Rogers,
which no doubt R. A. remembers. We refused to give him

No. 121.