Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-01-03

b the appointment Of a county committee.
1ae example was followed at Annapolis on
tie 26th Of, May, 1774-though not with
qaanimity, because on the Both of May a
lumber of the inhabitants of that ancient
torough protested against the proceedings
d their fellow citizens. But on this same
a)th day of May, the people of Queen
Anne's county organized their committee.
Tie people of Baltimore county on the 31st
O. May. the people of Kent on June I'd. of
anne Arundel on June 4th, of Hartford on
Jine 11th, of Frederick on the same day,
l-oF Charles county on June 14th, of Caroline
ounty on June 18th, of Frederick county
again on the 18th of June. OF the precise
oates of the action of other counties we have
no memoranda on the 22d of June,
1774, the various committees chosen in this
normal, but complete manner. met at An
n,polis and remained three days in session.
There was no revolution then pending.
Gpv. Eden was in the full possession of his
rig ghtful powers, derived from the proprie-
ta,y, but nevertheless this convention de-
cl,red the Boston Port Bill illegal, even if
it were passed by Parliament, and they de-
cl,red that the conduct then initiated by
Great Britain would, if persisted in, lead to
total non-intercourse. 1t appointed also
before it adjourned delegates who should at
te1d any Congress of deputies from the colo
MES which might be called ito effect one
general plan of conduct"
This informal, but really sovereign con-
vention, met gain on November 21st, 1774,
and on the 9Th December. 1774; and on this
last occasion it assumed and discharged full
legislative functions, while as yet there was
no revolution. It provided for the call and
election Of another convention from the coun-
ties. to meet on April 24th, ITS, and ad-
journed.
These new delegates were chosen, after
giving public notice, by the freeholders and
others of the various counties. Yet this
was not all done harmoniously The re.
cords Of the time show that the meetings al
Annapolis were literally denounced as tend.
| ing to sedition aud rebellion. But yet all
! these meetings went on, whether denounced
or not.
! The new convention met on the 24tl
/ April, 1775, and sat until the Sd of May
1t then resolved to express. and did express
its perfectloyalty to King George the Third
and it provided for another meeting of the
convention. Why should we continue te
trace this question further? From the
March session, 1774, to Feb 5th, 1875, ne
General Assembly, as formerly constituted
met in Maryland. All authority and al
power was exercised by the conventions
called as we have indicated. And yet the
formal existence of the authority of the pro.
prietary government was recognized until
July. 1776, although in June Gov Eder
had left the colony.
| We have REQUIRED to these prccedents,
not Of revolutionary. but of unquiet day.
preceding the revolution, in order to recall
to the minds of our readers the measures
and precautions taken by their fathers. =
Those who lived in the years which usherec
in so great history were not taken by sur
prise when the day of calamity came. Tha
day found people wholly organized, with
its mind made UP as to the issue by frc,