58 MARYLAND.

solved from all allegiance to the British crown;
and that all political connexion between them
and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to
be, totally dissolved."

Although it would appear by the instruc-
tions of the delegation in congress, from Mary-
land, that their authority would cease on the
25th March 1776, yet some further instruc-
tions must have been given them, which do not
appear on the journals of congress; for the
names of Mr. Tilghman, Mr. Johnson, Mr.
Paca, and Mr. Stone, are mentioned from time
to time, as members of committees, in the pro-
gress of the business before that body, between
that date and the 1st July ensuing, when the
instructions passed by the convention at Anna-
polis, on the 23th June, were laid before con-
gress, wherein the restrictions contained in the
previous instructions of December, 1774, are
removed "and the deputies of the said colony
or any three or more of them, are authorised
and empowered to concur with the other
United Colonies, or a majority of them, in de-
claring the United Colonies, free and indepen-
dent states."

Immediately after reading these latter in-
structions, congress resolved itself into a com-
mittee of the whole, to take into consideration
the resolution respecting Independency. The
resolution to that effect was agreed to on the 2d;
but the 'Declaration' continued to occupy con-