The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-08-19

les and between the revolutionary
leaders within the colonies were "the
shelvs we have to avoid, or our bark
will be split and tumble to pieces.
Here lies our great danger, and l al
most tremble when l think Of this
rock. Nothing but disunion can hurt
our cause"
Saved By Patriots.
The situation was saved by the
small group of patriot leaders who d.
rected the affairs of the colony's
Council of Safety. The Purviance
case was disposed of quickly.
After many examinations and hear
ings it was agreed that Purviance
had unjustly and without due warrant
malinged the Council of Safety and
the convention in his letter to Presi-
dent Hancock; that he had grossly
sighted them by entering into CORES
pondence with the Continental body;
that he had by far exceeded his au-
thority and that of his Baltimore
committee in sending the colony's
ship to arrest Eden, and that he had
proceeded in this enterprise without
due consultation with the other men,
bers of his own committee.
For all of which lapses he was
"highly disapproved," first by the
Baltimore committee, then by the
Council of Safety at Annapolis, and
finally in May by the Maryland con-
vention itself.
However, his "active zeal in the
common cause" was applauded and he
was excused from further punishment
in the hope that in the future he
would be "more attentive to pro-
priety."
Purely Local Matter.
But the Purviance case was purely
a Maryland matter. Not so were the
colony's open disobedience of the con-
tinent's possible breach of intercolon-
ial etiquet in sending the copies of the
intercepted letters to the Baltimore
committee rather than to the Mary
land committee.
AS to Virginia's little slip, as well
as to General Lees slight, the Mary
landers seem to have allowed that
there were extenuating slurs which
influenced Lee who, in turn, influenced
the Virginia council.
Moreover, Virginia's entire friendli-
ness toward Maryland had been but a
few weeks before manifested by her
readiness to come to Maryland's aid
when the British warship Otter had
threatened mischief in the Chesa-
peake.
Answered Congress.
Consequently the Marylanders
made but a slight gesture of dis
pleasure to the southwark and turned
their chief attention to the northward
in the direction of Philadelphia, the
capitol of the continent, and said:
eve consider the Congress as hav-
ing the supreme authority over the
continent, and look up to them with
Reverence and Esteem; but that they
cannot interfere with uncomfortable
power in the internal polity of this or
any other province"
While the many-sided controversy
was raging most furiously, the some
what maligned and much aggrieved
Council unburdened its soul upon the
Maryland men in the Continental
Congress.
The Council was firm in its faith
that eff this storm blows over, we
shall continue to enjoy quiet some
time longer, if not the whole cam
paign, and, perhaps before another
all will be settled happily"
All was settled happily in the end
but not until after many arduous
campaigns. Eden stayed two months
longer But that was the least part
of Maryland's victory.
Three months before she and her
sister colonies became States, she
had taken her stand for Estates
rights" and had won with definition
of States rights which in principle
stands without amendment today.