At a meeting of the Committee of Observation for Talbot County, on the 23d of May, 1775, at the Court-House of the said County [at Easton].
A Letter from the Committee of Observation in Baltimore Town, bearing date May 20, 1775, and signifying that the Ship Johnston, belonging to Mr. [James] Gildart, of Liverpool, was loaded with Salt and Dry Goods, by the house of Messrs. Ashton, and bound to Chesapeake Bay, was read.
In consequence whereof, a deputation, consisting of eleven gentlemen, was appointed to wait on Mr. James Braddock, agent and store-keeper for Mr. Gildart, owner of the said Ship Johnston, to advise him of the information received, to request him to give a satisfactory account and state of all goods now in his hands, and not to assist or countenance, directly or indirectly, the landing of any goods from the said ship, or in any way to promote the sale thereof. On the whole, the deputation aforesaid had it in charge to require an answer from Mr. Braddock, as to the part he meant to act on this occasion, and whether he would comply with their requisition, and to report the same to the Committee on Tuesday, the 30th instant, on which day they agreed to meet, unless the deputation should think it necessary to call a Committee sooner, in which case they were requested to give publick notice.
