Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1775-08-21 00:00:00, page 5

A N N APOLI S, A^gufi ic.
4PROVINCIALCONVENTION,
Annapolis, /htgu, 7, 1775.
The following Memorial of James Chriftie,jun.
of Baltimore town, Merchant, was read.
To the Honorable the Delegates of the Freemen of
the Province of Maryland, in Convention now
atfembled. ,
The Memorial of James Christie, jun. dfßaltimore
County:
Sheweth, ~ ' :
q~H A 7 your Memorial, did, on the zzddoy of FeF
' ruary lajt, curite the letter*, a copy of which is here
unto annexed, to bis jriend and coufin-german, Lieut.
Col. Cbriflie, in the Inland of Antigua :\ That, at the
time of writing said letter, your Memorial, unfortu^
natety could not approve of the measures then purfaed
in this province, as a Petition from the HonorahlfyCon
tioental Congress was then lying at the foot of the throne
of Great-Eritabi, the r efult of which <vas not at that
time known in. America.
That the said letter, having been intercepted by
means to your Memorial, altogether unknown, was,
on the 13th of July infant, laid before the Committee
of Baltimore County, ^bo came to fucb resolutions on
the fame as will appear to this Convention, by copy of
the troceediugs hereunto annexed: That, in pursuance
of the laid resolutions, your Memorial, bas already
fuffered a painful imprisonment, and bath paid to tie
guard appointed by the Committee, the sum of thirty
on o founds, feverteen frittings and fxftence, current
money, as will appear by the receipt for the fame, ready
to be produced.
Hat, by a fdfequent reflation of the said Committee
on the gib infant, the fad guard was difeharged, on
the application of your Memorial, for that purpefe,
upon your Memoria ifsgiving an obligation, with five
securities, not to depart the province without leave of
thefaid Committee, or this Convention. Andyour Me
rorialifl presumes, with all deference, to fay, That
tie letter in question, the contents of which has exc ted
so much uneasiness in the minds of the good people of this
province, could not be productive of any ill effe&, being
wrote by a private individual to bis friend and rela
tion, a person who had not the power, if be bad the in
clination, and who, from regard to bis own private in>
teref, and from the ties of blood (bis wife, family and
fortune being in this country) cannot be supposed to be
aflive in devifag measures to cruft the liberties thereof;
and in the mo, solemn manner your Memorial, avers,
that be never harboured a wijb to introduce a military
force into this province, for the purpose of enfaving the
inhabitants thereof. And,our Memorial, begs leave
to add, That be is extreme y ferry that bis private opi
nion Jboxld have given anv offence ; be was far from
intending any; he considered bimfef as writing to a
friend in confidence, and bad no expectation or wfh,
-bat fucb private opinions would ever appear in public,
or be productive of any public measures whatever.
Ibat the said Committee having referred all further
proceedings onyour Memorial,'s case to the Gentlemen
delegated b) this province to the Continental Congress,
and they having referred the Jame to the consideration
of this Convention, obliges your Memorial:)! to make
this application, humbly to reque, that this Honorable
Convention will confder your Memorialiffs case, and
difcbarge your Memorial, and bis Securities from the
said obligation, and also grant permiflion to,our Memo
rial, to depart the province with all convenience,
without whilefation in ,evf>n o r property.
Your Memorialift, relying on the wiflom and huma
nity ofthis Honorable Convention, mo, civeriully sub
mits bis case to their decision, humbly praying,
, That the bleffngs of peace add tranquility ma, be re
,ored to ever, part of the British empire ; That the rigts
and privileges of America ma, be eflabifoed on a firm
and lasing basts, and afpeed, and honorable reconcilia
tion take place between the parent State and her Colo
nies, is the fncere wife of,our Memorial,.
Baltimore, JAMES CHRIsTI E, jun.
July 27, 1775.
And upon reading the letter of the said fames
Christie, herein referred to, dated the 22d of Fe
bruary, 1775; to Gabriel Christie, lieutenant
colonel of the 60th regiment, in which the said
Christie represented the inhabitants of that town
as concerned in measures, in his opinion, treason
able and rebellious, and that a number of soldiers
Would keep them very quiet, the fame was ebnfi
dered by this convention, and thereupon it is
Refohsed, That the laid James Christie, bythe said
letter, hihh manifefted a spirit and principle alto
gether inimical to the rights and liberties of Ame
rica: That the laid James Christie, by insinuating
the necessity of introducing a military force into
this province, has manifefted an inveterate enmity
to the liberty of this province in particular, and
of British America in general
Therefore Rejohed, That the said James Chris
tie is and ought to be considered as an enemy to
America, and that no person trade, deal or barter
with him hereafter, unless for necenaries and pro
visions, or for the sale or purchase of any part of
his real or personal estate, of which he may be at
this time feifed or possessed.
Refolded, That the said James Christie be ex
pelled and baniffied this province for ever, and
that he depart this province before the firft day
of September next.
Refo ved, That the said James Christie deposit
in the hands of this convention, or into the hands
of such person or persons, as they (hall appoint,
the sum of live hundred pounds sterling, to be
expended occasionally towards his proportion of
all charges and expences incurred or to be incurred
for the defence of America, during the prefect
contelt with Great-Britain; the overplus, if any,
after a reconciliation shall happily be effected, to
be restored to the said James Christie.
* For this Utter fee the racket, No. 194..
POSTSCRIP 1 to Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet. No. 2060
Trifßed, That no puriifhnient be infliaed on the
said James Christie, other than what is now di
tcCled by this Convention.
Re,rived, That the five hundred pounds sterling
is to be paid in sterling, or other money at par.
, RfAved, That the refoltitions of the Commit
tee of Baltimore County are, by the determina
tions of this Convention superseded, and that
therefore the said James Christie may negotiate
his Bills of Exchange ; and that he may assign,
or he, or any person for him, may collect the
debts due to him, in the fame manner as other
? persons may negociate their Bills of Exchange,
affgn or colled their debts.
Signed, 1, Order of the Convention,
C. DUVALL, Clerk.
, } -
PHILADELPHIA, Auguftid.
To the KING'S Mo, Excellent MAJESTY.
M, Gracious Sovereign,
WE your Majesty's faithful fubjeds of the
Colonies of New-Hampshire, Maffachu
fett's-Bay, Rhode-Bland and Providence Planta
tions, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Penn,
fylvania, the Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and
Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-
Carolina, and South-Carolina, in behalf of our
selves, and the inhabitants of these colonies, who
have deputed us to represent them in General
Congress, entreat your Majesty's gracious atten
tion to this our humble Petition.,
The union between our Mother Country and
these Colonics, and the energy of mild and just
government, produced benefits so remarkably im
portant, and afforded such an affirmance of their
permanency and encreafe, that the wonder and en
vy of other nations were excited, while they be
held Great-Britain riting to a power, the most
extraordinary the world had ever known.
Her rivals observing, that there was no proba
bility of this happy connexion being broken by
civil diffentions, and apprehending its future ef
fe&s, if left any longer undisturbed, refelved to
prevent her receiving such continual and formida
ble accessions of wealth and strength, by checking
the growth of these settlements from which they
were to be derived.
In the prosecution of this attempt, events so un
favourable to the design took place, that every
friend to the interest of Great-Britain and these
Colonies, entertained pleasing and reasonable ex
pectations of feeing in additional force and ex
tention immediately given to the operations of
the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement
of the dominions of the crown, and the removal of
antient and warlike enemies to a greater distance.
At the conclusion therefore of the late war, the
most glorious and advantageous that ever had been
carried on by British Arms, your loyal Colonists,
having contributed to its success, by such repeat
ed and ftrentioHs exertions, as frequently procur
ed them the distinguished approbation of your Ma
jesty, of the late King, and of Parliament, doubt
ed not, but that they should be permitted, with
the rest of the Empire, to Share in the blessings
of peace, and the emoluments of victory and
conquest.
; While these recent and honorable acknow
ledgements of their merits remained on record in
the journals and ads of that august Legislature,
the Parliament, undefaced by the imputation or
even the suspicion of any offence, they were a
larmed by a new fyftemof statutes and regulations,
adopted for the Administration of the Colonies,
that filled their minds with the most painful fears
and jealousies § and to their inexpressible aftoniih
ment, perceived the danger of a foreign quarrel,
quickly Succeeded by domestic dangers in their
judgment of a more dreadful kind.
Nor were these anxieties alleviated by any ten
dency in this system to promote the welfare of
their Mother Country, for though its effects were
more immediately felt by them, yet its influence
appeared to be injurious to the Commerce and
prosperity of Great-Britain.
We shall decline the ungrateful talk of describ
ing the irksome variety of artifices, pradifed by
many of your Majesty's Ministers, the deleave
presences, fruitless terrors, and unavailing Seve
rities, that have from time to time been dealt out
by them, in their attempts to execute this impo
litic plan, or of tracing through a series of years
path the progress of the unhappy differences be
tween Great-Britain and these Colonies, that have
flowed from this fatal source.
Your Majesty's Ministers, persevering in their
measures, and proceeding to open hostilities f®r
enforcing them, have compelled us to arm in our
own defence, and have engaged us in a controvert
fy so peculiarly abhorrent to the affections of your
still faithful Colonists, that when we confider
whom we must oppose in this contest, and if it
continues, what may be the consequences, our
own particular misfortunes are accounted by us
only as parts of our distress.
Knowing to what violent resentments and in
curable animosities, civil discords are apt to ex
asperate and inflame the contending parties, we
think ouifetecs required b, indifpenfible obliga
country..
We therefore beseech your Majesty, that your
royal authority and influence may be graciously
interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting
fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system be
fore-mentioned, and to fettle peace through eve
ry part of your dominions, with all humility sub
mitting to your Majesty's wife consideration, whe
ther it may not be expedient for facilitating those
important purposes, that your Majesty be pleased
to direct some mode, by which the united applica
tions of your faithful Colonists to the throne, in
presence of their Common Councils, may be im
proved into a happy and permanent reconciliation;
and that in the mean time measures may be taken
for preventing the further deftruCtion of the lives
of your Majesty's fubjeCts ; and that such statutes
as more immediately distress any cf your Majef
y's Colonies may be repealed.
For by such arrangements as your Majesty's
wisdom can form for collecting the united lenfe of
your American people, we are convinced, your
Majesty would receive such fatisfa&ory proofs of
the disposition of the Colenifts towards their So
vereign and the parent state, that the wished for
opportunity would soon be restored to then^ of
evincing the sincerity of their profeflions, by every
testimony of devotion becoming the most dutiful
fubjeCts, and the most affectionate Colonists.
That your Majesty may enjoy along and pros
perous reign, and that your descendants may go
vern your dominions, with honour to themselves;
and happiness to their fubje&s, is our sincere and
fervent prayer.
Extraff of a letter from Nm-London, iduguft 10.
, " Last Sunday morning about fix o'clock, we
difeovered nine fail of Ihips, one brig, one snow,
one schooner, and two sloops, turning up to this
harbour, with the wind at N. E. which alarmed
the inhabitants of this town, but we soon found
their design was to take the stock off Fiber's Island,
which they accomplished on that day, consisting
of 1130 sheep, 40 cattle, and 10 hogs. The:
cattle were mostly young, all the good beef were
taken off the day before by our people. This:
fleet is now at Gardiner's Island, taking off their
stock, which is very considerable—at least 3000
sheep and 100 fat cattle, and bel'ieve the whole
will be carried to Boston."
tions to Almighty God, to your Majesty, to out
fellow fubjeds, and to ourselves, immediately to
use all the means in our power, not incompatible
with our fafety, for ftoppir.g the further effufion
of blood, and for averting the impending calami
ties that threaten the British empire.
Thus called upon to addfefs your Majesty on
affairs of such moment to America, and probably
to all year dominions, we are e^rneftly desirous of
performing this office, with the utmost deference
for your Majesty ; and we therefore pray, that
your Majesty s royal magnanimity and benevolence
may make the most favourable conftrp&ions of
our expressions on so uncommon an occasion. Could
we represent in their full force the sentiments that
agitate the minds of us your dutiful fubje&s, we
are persuaded, your Majesty would ascribe any
seeming deviation from reverence in our language,
and even in our condu&, not to any reprehensible
intention, but to the impossibility of reconciling
the usual appearances of refped with a just atten
tion to our own preservation against those awful
and cruel enemies, who abuse your royal confi
dence and authority, for the purpose of effecting
our deftruaion.
Attached to your Majesty's person, family and
government, with all devotion that principle and
affection can inspire, conneded with Great-Britain
by the strongest ties that can unite locieties, and
deploring every event that tends in any degree to
weaken them. We solemnly assure your Majesty,
that we, not only most ardently desire the former
harmony between Her and these Colonies, may be
restored, but that a concord may be established
between them upon so firm a basis as to perpetuate
its blessings, uninterrupted by any future diffen
tions, to fuccee'ding generations in both countries,
and to transmit your Majesty's name to posterity)
adorned with that lignal and lifting glory that has
attended the memory of those illustrious person
ages, whose virtues and abilities have extricated
States from dangerous convulsions, and by secur
ing happiness to others, have created the most
noble and durable monuments to their own fame.
We beg leave further to afire your Majesty,
that notwithstanding the (offerings of your loyal
Colonists, during the course of this present con
troversy, our breasts retain too tender a regard
for the kingdom from which we derive our origin,
to request such a reconciliation, as might in any
manner be inconsistent with her dignity or her
welfare. These, related as we are to Her, Ho
nor and Duty, as well as inclination, induce us
to support and advance ; and the apprehenfians,
that now oppress our hearts with unspeakable grief,
being once removed, your Majesty will find your
faithful fubjeds on this continent ready and wil
ling at all times as they have ever been, with their
lives and fortunes, to assert and maintain the rights
and interests of your Majesty, and of our mother