360 Journal and Correspondence

In Committee Baltimore 14 April 1776

10 ^oClock P. M.
Hon^l Sir

The Inclosed Copies of Letters were just now received by our
Committee by Express from the Council of Safety of Virginia
with Desire that they might be forwarded to you instantly.
Indeed we think, they contain matters of too much Importance
to have been delayed a Moment. In consequence whereof
we have prevailed on our Commanding Officer here to appoint
M^r David Plunket a Lieutenant, in whose Prudence and Indus-
try we can rely to wait on you with this, And if your Honour-
able Body should think it necessary to take any Steps, or give
any Instructions to the Council of Safety on the Occasion, he
will wait your Commands.

We have the Honor to be with greatest Respect
Hon^l Sir, Your most Obed^t Serv^t
Sam^l Purviance Jun^r Chⁿ John Smith
Will^m Lux Dep^y Chⁿ John Boyd
Tho^s Harrison Ja^s Calhoun
Benjⁿ Nicholson Jno. Sterrett
W^m Buchanan

The Committee then resumed the Consideration of the
Council of Safety of Virg^as Letter, and Resolved thereon, that
M^r John Smith, Captⁿ Benj^a Nicholson, and Captⁿ John Ster-
rett, three of their members do wait upon the Council of Safety
at Annapolis early tomorrow morning with the Packet directed
to them, as they think it of too much Importance to be trusted
by a Common Express, and that they carry with them the
Letters above referred to in order to lay them before the
Council of Safety, lest their Packet might not contain the same
Intelligence, and that they take with them M^r Jere Townley
Chase one of the Committee, who is now in Annapolis.

Wednesday Evening 17^th April 1776.

Present, Sam^l Purviance Jun^r Chairman

W^m Buchanan, John Boyd Tho^s Harrison, Benj^a Nicholson
Ja^s Calhoun, John Sterrett, Jere. Townley Chace.

The Gentlemen of the Committee appointed to go to Anna-
polis returned and reported, that they had delivered the
Paquet to the Council of Safety, and also, as was directed,
laid before them the Letters from Virginia, and that the Coun-
cil of Safety had given them the following Copy of their Pro-
ceedings