The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-08-19
MARYLAND, AS COLONY,
WAS FOR STATES RIGHTS
Braved The Anger of Continent
tai Congress Because 1t Re-
served Right To Handle In
ternal Affairs.

thirteen little dependencies of the
British crown which were almost un
knowingly welding themselves into
the United States of America Isl
years ago, the present time, observe
the Maryland of the first six months
of 1776.
Observe what we would today cal
The political difficulties, or those in.
volving the relationships between col
ony and colony and between colonies
and the Continent" as they ther
called the thirteen colonies as a group
A weird admixture of these Difficult
ties broke on Maryland in March
April and May, 1776.
1t all came about through the
chance interrogation of packet of let.
ters from the British Ministry to that
remarkable and likable parsonage, Sin
Robert Eden, Maryland's last roya
Governor, remarkable in his day anc
generation because, although he was q
British royal Governor, he was lika-
BILE, both personally and officially.
Took Independent Stand.
What happened as an immediate re-
suit of this seizure of enemy mail was
that Maryland in effect declared her
independence of her sister colonies
and the Continent before she was
ready to consent to separation from
Great Britain.
The cast of characters in this drama
if arranged for a theatre program
somewhat in the order of the appear
.ance Of the characters on the stage
would read as follows:
James Barron, captain in the
Virginia navy.
Lord Dunmore, deposed British
Governor of Virginia.
Charles Lee, major-general in the
army of the Continent, sta
toned at Williamsburg, Va.
Alexander Ross, of Maryland.
The Virginia Council of Safety.
The Baltimore County Committee
of Observation.
Samuel Purviance, Jr., chairman
of the Baltimore Committee.
The Continental Congress at
Philadelphia.
The Maryland Council of Safety.
The Maryland Convention.
John Hancock, president of the
Continental Congress.
Charles Carroll, barrister; John
Hall, member of the Maryland
Council Of Safety.
William Paca, Maryland men,
Der of the Continental Con-
gress.
Thomas Johnson, a Maryland
member of the Continental
Congress.
James Nicholas, captain in the
Maryland navy.
Samuel Smith, captain in the
Maryland militia.
Mordecia Gist, major in the
Maryland militia.
Capture Reported.
When the curtain rises early III
April, Captain Barron is reporting tc
General Lee that he has made captive
of Alexander Ross while Ross is COM
ing ashore from Lord Dunmores war
ship, and that he has found on Ross a
packet of letters from Lord George
German, British Minister for the
American colonies, to Sir Robert
Eden.
These letters seem to implicate Sill
Robert in endeavors to be of service
to the Ministry, particularly in the
matter of providing the Ministry with
very valuable information.
Sir Robert had been looked upor
by the Revolutionary leaders as a
good friend who was keeping aloot
from the turmoil of the times, sympa-
thizing somewhat with the Colonials
and holding himself ready to bring
about a reconciliation between the
King and the American "rebels."
The intercepted letters thus ap-
peared, from the attempt to get then
to Eden secretly, to implicate Eden ir
"a fragrant piece of double-dealing.
Stepped Into Limelight.
General Lee, always a clever actor
seeking ever the front of the stage
Immediately gets busy. First, he lays
the revelation before the Virginia
Council of Safety.
1t in turn at once sends copies Of
the letters to the Continental Con.
gress, but not to the Maryland Coun
Gil of Safety at Annapolis, the colo
ny's central executive body when the
Maryland convention was not in SEES
sion.
Lee had made friends with Purvi
ance on his way south and Purvianct
had told Lee that the Maryland Coun
ell and Convention were "afraid tt
execute the duties of their station"
Lee also writes Purviance "not tt
lose moment, and in my name (i
my name is of consequence enough,
20 direct the commanding officer o.
your troops at ANNAPOLIS immediately