of the Council of Maryland, 1778-1779. 385

Annis seven Pounds ten shillings due him per Acc^t passed by

the Dep^y Aud.
By his Excellency Thomas Johnson Esquire Governor of
Maryland

A Proclamation

That no Excuse may be left to those who may riotously
break the Peace and disturb the order essential to the happiness
of the Public and the Security of Individuals I have thought
fit with the Advice of the Council, being induced thereto by
Complaints of recent Outrages and Threats to repeat and
extend them to warn all Persons in this State against raising
or joining in any riotous Assembly or Proceeding as highly
illegal and to notify and declare that they will by such unwar-
rantable Conduct subject themselves to the necessary and
exemplary Punishments inflicted by the Law And all Judges,
Justices and Officers of Justice in this State are required
according to the Duties of their Offices to prevent and Sup-
press all such Riots and to put those who may commit them
in a due Course of Law, Given at Annapolis this Eleventh
Day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and seventy nine
Th. Johnson
By his Excellency's Command
T. Johnson Jun^r Sec^y
God save the State

C. B.

[Council to N. Smith.]

In Council 11^th May 1779
Sir.
After having received the Inrollment of those of the Balti-
more Matrosses, which appeared to us to correspond with that
directed by the Convention, who had petitioned for a Dis-
charge; we imagine that we should have heard nothing more
on that Subject, especially as we understood that the Men
did not afterwards appear dissatisfied; but two of the Peti-
tioners yesterday laid before us their Affidavits as well as
those of the other Petitioners, in all of which they alledge
their having engaged only for a year. Desirous of doing
Justice, which can only be done by a thorough Investigation
of the Truth, it is necessary to examine you on Oath and for
that Purpose we request your Attendance as soon as well may
be and that you permit two, three or four of the Petitioners who
may be agreeable to the others to attend at the same Time.
They also complain that there's a full Suit of Cloathing

25

C. C.