1776.] OF THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND. 117

That each member of the said council of safety be allowed and
paid fourteen shillings common money, out of the treasury of this
province, for every day such member shall sit or be absent from
home on public business.

That any four or more of the said council of safety convened,
or the major part of them, direct and regulate the operations of the
regular forces, the minute men and militia of this province, and may
grant all military commissions, appoint and commission all field
and commission officers, and regulate the rank of all military offi-
cers not appointed by this convention, and in the recess of conven-
tion, call forth the regular forces aforesaid and minute men into ac-
tion in any place or places within this or the neighboring provinces,
and the militia into action in any place or places within this pro-
vince, at such time and times, in such proportions and on such
occasions as the said council may judge necessary, and do all such
other matters and things for the defence, protection and security of
this province, and for the aid and assistance of the neighboring
provinces, as they shall deem necessary and expedient.

That any officer of the said regular forces, minute men or militia,
may be suspended from the exercise of his commission by the said
council of safety, and if the said council of safety shall think pro-
per, they may displace any officer, and appoint and commission
another in his stead, and may on the death, resignation or removal
of any officer in the regular forces, minute men or militia, appoint
and commission another in his stead, and the said council of safety
may fill up all vacancies in the regular troops aforesaid, minute
men and militia, by whatever means occasioned.

That the said council of safety be authorized and empowered to
draw out of the bills of credit emitted or ordered to be emitted by
this convention, (except such part thereof as is appropriated to call
in and exchange the bills of credit emitted by the last convention)
any sum or sums which may by them be judged necessary to carry
the several resolutions of this convention into execution, for pay-
ing and discharging all contracts made or to be made for and on
behalf of this province, and for the defence and protection of this
province, or for paying and defraying the expenses of any part of
the said regular troops and minute men which may be ordered to
any of the neighboring provinces.

That the said council of safety have power and authority to ar-
rest, and on hearing, confine and imprison till the next convention
all such persons within this province as shall have been or may be
guilty of high and dangerous offences, tending to disunite the peo-
ple of this province in their present opposition, or to destroy the