Evening star., 1938-12-13

I of Eden's person and papers and
particularly a Mr.. Alexander Ross,
a member of the Governors staff
who, Hancock writes, lis represented
as dangerous partisan of the Eng
lish administration who has lately
been with Lord Dunmore of Vir-
ginia, deservedly execrated, and who
is even now, it is suggested, on his
way to the Indian country to ex-
ecute the diabolical designs of our
enemies. I have no doubt but that
you will exert your utmost endeavor
in seizing and securing him.
JOHN HANCOCK,
President"
Council Baked Arrest.
But the Council of Safety, sitting
in convention in Annapolis, took
umbrage at the action Of Purviance,
although we'll aware that it was
approved by the Congress assem-
bled in Philadelphia, and they re-
fused to permit the arrest of Eden.
have been advanced Some think
that Purviance was a little hasty
and lacked respect for the Annap-
oils people. And certainly, the
TldeWater aristocracy, assembled in
Annapolis, were not enthusiastic ad-
mirers of the Philadelphia Congress.
Be this as it may, they summoned
Purviance to the bar of their House
and reprimanded him.
A few days later public opinion
in Maryland rallied to Purviance
and his committee, and while they
stated that in their Judgment the
intercepted correspondence was not
written with an unfriendly intent,
or calculated to countenance hostile
measures against America, yet the
time had come to signify to the
Governor that in the judgment of
this convention public quiet and
safety required that Gov. Eden
leave the province and that che is
at full liberty to depart peaceably
with his effects"
Vigorously Disapprove.
This moderate attitude did not
meet with the approval of the Vir-
ginia convention and on May 81,
1776, they sent the following to
Annapolis:
I'VE express our deepest concern
at the proceedings of the Maryland
convention respecting Gov. Eden
and our reasons for not becoming
accessory thereto by giving him
passage through this Colony or the
bay adjoining it. We would with
reluctance in any case intermeddle
in the affairs of sister Colony, but
in this matter we are much inter-
ested."
Eden was now permitted to leave
the Colony, but under circumstances
that were not as favorable as they
would have been three months be-
fore when Mr.. Purviance and the
Baltimore committee took action.
The royal Governor embarked on
his majesty's sloop of war Fowey
June "a, 1776. His baggage was de-
tanned, for time at least, in conse-
quence of the alleged attempt of
Capt. Montague of the Warship to
take with him runaway slaves. None
was found, however, and six Tide
water gentlemen served as an escort
of honor to the retiring Governor.
A month later, July 20, 1776, the
Declaration of Independence was
read from the Annapolis courthouse
and the effigy of King George III
was carried through the town and
committed to the flames.
Returned to Annapolis.
After the war, in 1888, Eden re-
turned to Annapolis, where he was
received in friendship by many.
Soon afterward he died and was
buried in Annapolis. The purpose
of his coming back to Maryland was
to find out what had happened to
his race horses during his absence
and to answer certain charges to
the effect that just before his de-
parture he had issued patents for
lands in Western Maryland to his
loyal friends, which were of doubtful
legality. However, as these lands
had already been apportioned to the
veterans of the Maryland line who
had fought so gallantly during the
seven years of war, after Eden'S
death the question was shelved.
Samuel Purviance remained chair
man of the Revolutionary Commit
tee in Baltimore throughout the
struggle and he and his fellow Bal
timoreans furnished the transpor-
tation which carried Washington
and Rochambeau to Yorktown and
also the supplies upon which they
subsisted during the seige.
After the war was over Mr.. Pur-
Vance was appointed naval officer
and collector Of the Port of Balti-
more by George Washington. And,
in 1849 the grandson of Purviance
writes:
II do not violate the sanctity of
private correspondence when I say
that these Offices were bestowed by
the first President as testimonial
of appreciation for his Revolutionary
services"
In 1850, Comdr. Purviance of the
United States Navy discovered in
the Baltimore custom house the
Purviance Revolutionary papers from
which the aforegoing excerpts were
made.
tcopyrisht. 1889