Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-04-11
From the American Historical Recorvi
"REMINISCENCES OF THOMAS ,
JOHNSON.

NE.aiNioCEStEoO OF ldOMAS
JOHNSON. Fl
Thomas johnson was one of the re-
active patriots in Maryland, in tie ssru
gle fyr the independence Of TIE Aars1
American Colonies, AMI he was the Il,
Chief Magistrate of the Republican, ST.
: o: Maryland. succeeding the royal O.
ernor Sir William Eden. with. is IN s'
! bad been ON terms OF socisi for dsiljl
lie was member of the first Continent -
. Congress. having for his colleagues. Ro-
bert Goldsborough. Samuel Chase, Mat.
thew Tiighman and Wm. Paca.
When In the Congress Of 1875, it VA.
resolved to appoint a commander-in-cbiet
OF ali the continental forces raised and
to te raised. the choice OF person for
such commander was u most delicate and
dlthcu.t task. for there were already lea
ders IN the heli who deserved the hisb-
est praise for their patriotism. bu, lacked
many OF the essential qualifications for
general leadership. Artemus Ward xas
then the comman.cr-in- chief of all the
New England :orces which really cons ti,u-
tel the ud!euly imoroyised army Of the
Revolut'on: and while his merits COM
mrricd universal appreciation. it wa, con-
c2ivcd he was not precisely the man wan
tel to III. the Office of gcnerallissimo. l.
s"e'nrd essential. however. to please the
New England people. and herein Law the
chef ditil il.u.ty. John Adams. the New
E.nGanl leader in council. removed tha,
difficulty. when, before the adoption of
the forces then (Jnnc l115l gathered
near Boston. aS a Continental Army. the
sn'Jcct was discussed. At the conclu-
sion OF remarks GA that topic, Mr. Adams
expressed his intention to propose mem
Der Of the Congress then in session. from
Virginia. as Chiefof tha: Army. Where
upon Thomas Johnson. delegate from
Maryland. arose and nomin1.ed Colonel
George Washington. AMI he was chosen
" ~" unanimous vote of the CONGRESS.
All through III" war that followed. Mr..
Johnson was m active participator in civ
Il duties; and was a member oe the first
committee appointed by Congress late in
l111. f,r CIR yir- on foreign corrcsnoD-
dance through friends in Europe. His
associates We Benjamin Harrison, Dr..
Franklin. JOHN Dickens n ani John Jaw.
The t"l.owing "reminiscences OF Mr..
Joanson. was communicated 70 the wri-
ter of this, many years ago. By the Rev.
Charles u. Ham, of Gloucester Court
House. Virginia. who was personally ac-
I"ainte! with tho Gororaor. and Eecesr
ea the anecdotes from his lips. WE
Ia l115, dinner party was ;S:,c ~
Annapolis, by Governor Eden, the royaf
representative. The invitation to all the
promncu: men Of the city. was verv earn.
est. and many good Wigs had suspicions
that there was motive for it. besides
hoSpi'alIy. Thomas Johnson was among
III" guests He was an eminent lawyer and
s;aunch Wing. When the cloth was re-
moved. Elem arose. and rs u~ull. gave rs
the fist toast, His Majesty George III"
It was customary 70 drink that toas, san l.
ing. Now it WAS considered test ofpub-
lc feeling. Though every man raised
his glass. il was returned to the table in
silence. When the company was about I,
retire III an ur; lcasaut mood. johnson in
v1;cd the company 10 dine with him the
next day. provided the Governor had no
engagements. and would form one Of the
party. Eden tried to excuse himself. but
johnson would not listen. The next dav
the same party again met at dinner
johnson arose to propose the first toast.
lie said that the King generally received
the frs: lorors on such occasions bat ne
It was more in accordance with his own
feelings and that OF his guests. e.rccu. the
Gorernor, he wouli propose the Ia9spen-
""ncs ct The Cclonies. Eden was startled
lie turned pale Sc, down his glass, md
soon retired. That night cargo of tea
was burnt in the harbor* of Annapolis,
and Ellen could not be found the next
morning He had taken refuge in the
Nacgatty Bay Mountain. as the hills of
Anne Arundel, at the mouth of tie Pa
t"psco, were then called Eden was a
refined and elegant gentleman, and ver7
amiabie in all the relations Of life. His
official station placed his private charac-
ter IN false position. The aristocra;ic
characteristics Of the nobility were brouch,
out. and he often offended men by his
haushty demeanor, when he thought his
dignity demanded it.
In his retrca, among the Maggatty Hills.
Eden was called upon by many to sign
patents for LANDS that had been issued =
lie did so after the declaration had been
promulgated. For this he vas accused
Of and tried for high treason, but his mo-
tives being just he was acquitted.
Under the new republican constitn-
ton for Maryland. Tom johnson. as be
was iamiilarly called. was made the frs,
governor. johnson received \ unani-
nous vote. save ons. and that Of true
patriot, and one of the wealthiest men in
the State. he only reason he gave was.
that he did not wish TO fatter Johnson
ov an HrdRialcus vote. LAS If. said John
son. IN after years. ANY man Of that name
could mortify Tom Johnson." This was
said with sneer. forty years afterward.
showing ths' ne yet felt the modification,
even when asserting his Indifference
johnson was firm and energetic. When
the American army was at Elkton. large
bodies Of militia were called to assemble
At Annspolis. preparatory to joining Wash
ingion. The Gay before they were 10
march, the Colonel OF one os the regiments
went to Johnson, aud told him that the
men refused to 60 beyond Baltimore. -
He suspected the Colonel. and ordered
him to draw the regiment up in.o hol-
sThs vessel Was run aground at Windmill
Point, and barn, TO the ~sIe-'s ed se.