102 Journal and Correspondence

cerns. If by the permission granted me the Committee have
exceeded the power delegated to them by the convention,
which it is my opinion they have not, to that body only I appre-
hend they are amenable, but that their determinations are no
way subject to any controlling orders of the General; so that
unless the military power is authorized to supersede that of
the civil, the General cannot possibly have any right to give
the least obstruction to my intended embarkation. I there-
fore beg you will desire him well to consider the consequences
of such a step as well with regard to the rights which every
freeman in this province is entitled to, as the danger of that
Resentment which may possibly be expressed against innocent
persons here from a detention of an officer in His Majesty's
service, without the least charge of any crime whatever
against him.
I am far from disputing the General's authority to receive
or not to receive the Flag, but I do deny that the military
power hath any right to control that of the civil. If it has the
people of this province are as compleat slaves as any in
Turkey.
As a friend therefore to the rights and privileges of a free-
man of Maryland, I do expect and demand that no hindrance
or molestation whatever be given to my departure for Great
Britain in any vessel I please, provided that it is the General's
Pleasure the Flag of Truce should not be received. Doct'
Veyman, who is so kind as to promise me the delivery of this
letter, will at the same time furnish you with the passport
granted me by the committee in order to be shewn to Genl
Dent, which after his perusal of it, I must beg you will be
pleased to return him; Should its authority be still disputed, I
shall be under the indisputable necessity of appealing to that
power, which, as in the case of His Excellency Governor Eden

and M^r Purviance, I flatter myself, will support the rights of

freemen against every due invasion whatever.
To Col Richard Barnes I am very respectfully, Sir
at St. George's. Your very Hble Serv^t
[no signature]

C. S. C.

[Wolstenholme to Commander at St. George's.]

Sir. St. Mary's 17^th July 1776.
Doct^r Veyman is so kind as to waite on you in order to
acquaint you of the danger my house and family were in this
morning from a covered vessel, or galley in his Majesty's
service, the commanding officer not knowing who was the
proprietor.