30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION [1775.

or to destroy the liberties of America, to cause such person to be
apprehended, and forthwith sent, together with the charge against
him, to the council of safety on that shore where the offence shall
be committed, who shall proceed to examine into the charge, and
if the same shall be sufficiently proved, pronounce sentence there-
on, that such person be imprisoned, in such place and manner,
and for such time, as shall be adjudged, not beyond the rising of
the next convention, who, if they think proper, may take further
order therein; or that he depart this province within a certain time
to be limited.

That all persons pay obedience to and acquiesce in the determi-
nations of such committees of observation and council of safety,
and that no person whatsoever, other than the said committees and
council, persume to inflict any punishment for any such breaches
or offences. And on the same day, or the next, to which the said
delegates are empowered to adjourn, the said electors also choose
by ballot, five of the most discreet and sensible of such freemen, as
aforesaid, of their county, to be delegates for the same, in any
provincial convention to be held for this province, within one year
then next following, with full power and authority to such delegates,
or any three or more of them, to appear and act for such county, in
such convention; and to consent and agree to, and bind such county
to preform and execute all such matters and things as such conven-
tion or a majority of the counties of this province shall determine to
be necessary for the preservation of the liberties of America.

And in case any of the said delegates shall die, or refuse to act,
the said committee of observation for the respective county shall have
full power to appoint by ballot one of the said committee, to be dele-
gate for the said county, with the like power and authority, in the
place of any such delegate who shall die or refuse to act; provided
that no such appointment shall be made, unless two third parts of
such committee shall be present,

That each committee of observation shall, as soon as convenient-
ly may be after their appointment, choose by ballot five of their mem-
bers, to be a committee of correspondence for their county, for the
said time of one year, with power to any two or more of them to
act as such.

That as the small-pox is now at Queen's-town, and it will in all
probability be dangerous to the inhabitants of Queen Anne's
county to assemble there for electing the committee of observation
and delegates for that county, the election of the committee of
observation and delegates for the said county shall be held at the
house of George Hanson, instead of the court-house of that county.