Present: — Saml Purviance Chn Wm Lux Depy Chn

An Express is just arrived from Virginia with a Packet directed to this Committee Inclosing a Letter to the Honble Council of Safety of this Province, with a Letter to The Honble John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, and a Letter from the Honble Council of Safety of Virginia to this Committee, of which the following is a Copy —

Williamsburgh 6 April 1776

Gentlemen

We could not suffer a Moment to pass before we transmitted the inclosed Copies of intercepted Letters, addrest by the Secretary of State to the Governor of your Proyince, which open the Schemes of Administration to us in a more explicit Manner, than any other Intelligence we have been able to procure ー We wish you to transmit Copies of these Letters to Congress without Delay— 

I am, For & by Order of the Committee of Safety of Virginia, Gentlemen ー

Your most Huml Servt
John Page ー Vice Presd

B. A certain Mr Alexander Ross, who was refused a Permission from this Committee, has been onboard of Lord Dunmore's Ship, and was the Person entrusted with the Care of the Inclosed Letters; he has escaped from us, but as we think him a Person inimical to the American Cause, he ought to be apprehended

J. P. V. Prd

[Here are inserted Lord George Germain's letter of December 23, 1775, and the General Letter to all Governors of the same date]

The Committee maturely considerecl the forementioned Letters, and, esteeming the Information contained in them as highly interesting to American Freedom, Unanimously Resolved, That they be sent off by Express to Congress, and that Major [Mordecai] Gist be requested to permit an Officer to carry them ー Major Gist, being accordingly applied to, ordered Lieutenant David Plunket on that Service, and directed him to attend the Committee for their Orders, who delivered to him the preceding Letters, and one to the Honble John Hancock Esqr, of which the following is a Copy ー viz

In Committee Baltimore 14 Apl 76
10 oClock P.M

Honble Sir

The Inclosed Copies of Letters were just now received by our Committee by Express from the Council of Safety of Virginia, with Desire, that they might be forwarded to you instantly ー Indeed they contain Matters, we think of too much Importance to have been delayed a Moment — In consequence wherof we have prevailed on our Commanding Officer here to appoint Mr David Plunket, on whose Prudence & Industry we can depend, to wait on you with this, and if your Honl Body should think it necessary to take any Steps, or give any Instructions to the Council of Safety on the Occasion, he will wait your Commands ー We have the Honor to be with greatest Respect ー Honble Sir Yr most obed Servt

(signed by all the Members present.)

To The Honble John Hancock Esqr
President of the Congress Philadelphia

The Committee then resumed the Consideration of the Letter from the Council of Safety of Virginia, and thereon Resolved, That Messrs John Smith, Benjamin Nicholson & John Sterrett, three of their Members, do wait on the Council of Safety at Annapolis, early tomorrow Morning with the Packet directed to them, as they think it of too much Importance to be trusted by a common Express, and that they carry with them the Letters above referred to, in order to lay them before the Council of Safety, lest their Packet might not contain the same Intelligence, And that they take with them Mr Jeremiah Townley Chase, one of the Committee, who is now at Annapolis—

Attestd Geo Lux Secry