Annapolis ー 1st Octr 1775
[Extract]
[I] refer Your Lordship to my Information by the Choptank Frigate, since whose Sailing nothing extraordinary has happened here, except that, in Consequence of a Pilot Boat belonging to this City having been seized, for having Swivels on board, & other Causes, by the King-Fisher, about ten days ago, at the Capes, Some few, but a very few, of the most violent here, made at Attempt, on Wednesday last, the 27th Ulto to collect the people of the City together, in Order to drive, or cart, out of the Town all the Tories, as they term those who will not muster, nor sign the Association. They were, I believe, partly incited to this by a Publication, that came down on Tuesday Night, (the same Evening they recieved the Account of the Seizure of Middletons Boat) in a pensylvania Paper, Bradfords Journal ー which I have enclosed to Mr Wm Eden; who will send it to Your Lordship, shoud you not have got it, and wish to see it, together with some other weekly papers. ー I must however ー do the Gentlemen of the Town; & the Citizens, the Justice to say that, on my Speaking to many of them, and desiring their Attendance, they made a Point of being present at the meeting under Liberty Tree, and with Spirit, Resolution, and Threats of Force, totally overset a mad-headed Scheme, set on foot by only eight or nine very worthless idle Fellows, and I hope have put an End to any future internal Attempts of a similar Nature in this City. ー