378 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770.

Lib. C. B.
No. 20

sideration whereof it was Ordered that a Pardon issue in
Behalf of the aforesaid Negro Dick, which Issued accordingly.
His Excellency was pleased to lay before this Board the
following Letter which he had received from Thomas Jenings
Esq^r his Lordship's Attorney General.

Annapolis Aug^t 2^nd 1770.
Sir.

In Pursuance of the Commission and Instructions which I
had the Honor to receive from your Excellency, I embarked
for the City of Williamsburgh where I arrived the 24^th of last
Month and immediately waited on Lord Botetourt to whom
I delivered your Excellency's Letter and acquainted him with
the Nature of the Commission with which I was intrusted:
His Lordship received me with great Politeness, and ex-
pressed his unwillingness to embroil the two Provinces in a
Contest concerning their respective Jurisdictions and was
pleased to assure me that your Excellency's Opinion of his
Sentiments in this particular communicated in your Letter to
him was entirely conformable to the Principles he entertained,
and added that he looked on it to be an indispensable Duty of
the Supreme Magistrates in every Government to preserve in-
violate the Rights of the different Colonies. His Lordship
further observed that the Business with which I was com-
missioned did not properly fall within his Department but
from the Information he had received on this Subject he ap-
prehended the Vessels were illegally Seized and that no Suit
would be instituted for their Condemnation.
In order to obtain a further Knowledge whether any Libel
was filed or Process issued in consequence of the Seizures I
applied to the Judge of the Court of Admiralty who informed
me it was the Opinion of his Majesty's Advocate that the
Proceedings in this Instance were unjustifiable and therefore
he imagined nothing further would be done in Prosecution of
the Affair.

p. 118

As I had not an Opportunity of receiving any certain In-
formation at Williamsburgh relative to the Fate of these
Vessels the commanding Officer of the Boston Frigate not
being there, I thought it expedient to Visit him on Board that
I might be acquainted with the Measures he intended to pursue
in Justification of his Conduct; Sir Thomas Adams was then
Absent on a Tour for his Health whereby the Command de-
volved on his first Lieutenant M^r Glassford, to whom I de-
livered your Excellency's Letter. He expressed great Con-
cern for the precipitate Steps which had been taken, and
excused the Officers on Account of their Inexperience, having