A petition of Abraham Vanbibber was presented to the House and read, setting forth, that on the commencement of hostilities between Great Britain and America he went to the island of St. Eustatia in order to provide military stores for the state of Maryland, and that during his residence in the said island he had the honour to receive from the executive power of this state orders for warlike stores, which are articles prohibited by the states of Holland from being shipped to America, but that, regardless of this risk, he with great caution contrived to ship off large quantities of warlike stores by stratagem; that he continued to carry on this business, undiscovered, for a great length of time, and should perhaps have continued to be serviceable in that way to this day, had not a certain Captain Ralls, in a vessel from this state, been addressed to him, who, without consulting the petitioner, left the harbour of St. Eustatia, though the petitioner was bound for his good behaviour, and captured a vessel which had received a cargo from that island, but that afterwards, having had the misfortune, with his prize, to fall into the hands of the enemy, he was so imprudent as to make known, in the fullest manner, the services the petitioner had rendered the states of America in consequence of which the petitioner was apprehended and thrown into prison, where he suffered great hardships, and afterwards incurred great expense in making his escape;¹ and as these hardships and expenses were brought upon him by the indiscretion of an officer belonging to this state, he prays the House will take the matter into consideration, and grant him such relief as shall be thought just and reasonable.

Ordered, that the said petition be referred to the consideration of a committee, and that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House; and it is referred to Mr. George Mason, General Nelson, Mr. Fitzhugh, Mr. Cary, Mr. Prentis, and Mr. Jefferson.