1774. ] OF THE PROVINCE OF MARYLAND. 7

At a meeting of the DEPUTIES appointed by the several counties
of the province of MARYLAND, at the city of Annapolis, by
adjournment, on the 8th day of December, 1774, and continued
till the 12th day of the same month, Were present,

EIGHTY-FIVE MEMBERS,

Mr. JOHN HALL in the Chair. And,

Mr. JOHN DUCKETT, Clerk.

The proceedings of the continental congress were read, consi-
dered, and unanimously approved.

Resolved, That every member of this convention will, and every
person in the province ought, strictly and inviolably to observe and
carry into execution the association agreed on by the said conti-
nental congress.

On motion, unanimously resolved, That the thanks of this con-
vention be given, by the chairman, to the gentlemen who repre-
sented this province as deputies in the late continental congress,
for their faithful discharge of that important trust: And the same
was done accordingly.

To increase our flocks of sheep, and thereby promote the wool-
len manufacture in this province, Resolved, That no person ought
to kill any lamb, dropt before the first day of May yearly, or other
sheep, after the first day of January next, under four years of age.

To increase the manufacture of linen and cotton, Resolved, That
. every planter and farmer ought to raise as much flax, hemp, and
cotton, as he conveniently can; and the cultivation thereof is par-
ticularly recommended to such inhabitants of this province, whose
lands are best adapted to that purpose. And Resolved, That no
flax-seed of the growth of the present year, ought to be purchased
for exportation, after the twelfth day of this month.

It being represented to this convention, that many merchants and
traders of this province, from a scarcity of cash to make their re-
mittances, and other causes, had sold their goods, within twelve
months next before the twentieth day of October last, at, and some-
times even below, the prime cost; and that, in many different
parts of this province, merchants had vended their goods at a
very different advance on the prime cost; and it appearing to
this convention to be unjust to compel such merchants to sell
their goods at prime cost, and that one general rule, allowing
a reasonable profit to the trader, and preventing him from tak-
ing advantage Of the scarcity of goods which may be occasion-