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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,
The Rev˙ Mr˙ JOHN GORDON, Chairman.
A Letter from the Committee of Observation in Baltimore Town, bearing date May 20, 1775, and signifying that the Ship Johnston, belonging to Mr˙ 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 stale 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.
On the 30,th instant the Committee, as above, met according to appointment, when the deputation aforesaid appeared, and reported that they went to Mr˙ Braddock' s store, but not finding him at home, they left a copy of the letter from the Committee of Baltimore Town, together with a copy of the order of this Committee, to be delivered to him when he should return.
In consequence of this Mr˙ Braddock appeared before the Committee, and informed them that he did expect
Mr˙ Braddock did likewise, at the same time, voluntarily enter into the following engagement and promise: "That if the Ship Johnston, or any other vessel having on board any Goods or Merchandise prohibited by the American Association, shall come addressed to him, or to any other agent or factor for Mr˙Gildart, he will, in such an event, neither directly nor indirectly receive, nor assist in landing, storing, or following the said Goods or Merchandise, but that, on the contrary, he will, immediately and forthwith, give notice of the arrival of the said ship or other vessel to the above mentioned deputation, or to some four of them, (who are appointed to go on board such ship or vessel, and to examine the papers, viz: the manifest, the cockets, and log-book,) and that he would give directions for the immediate return of any ship or vessel addressed to him, without breaking bulk."
Mr˙ Braddock delivered, at the same time, to the Committee an inventory of the Goods he has now on hand, with which they declared themselves satisfied for the present.
On the same day information being made to the Committee that Mr˙ Brascup, tavern-keeper at Talbot Court-House, had, on Tuesday, the 23d of May, served up a Lamb at his table, he was accordingly called before the Committee to give an account of his conduct; and upon his informing them that he had not purchased more than two or three Lambs, which he had been assured were yeaned before the first day of January, and on his promise that he would not, for the future, purchase any more Lambs without a certificate from the seller that they had been yeaned, either before the first day of January or after the first of May, the Committee were satisfied, and dismissed Mr˙ Brascup.
Ordered, That the above proceedings be published in the Maryland Gazette.
Signed by order of the Committee:
ROBERT WILSON, Clerk pro tem.
Talbot County (Maryland) Committee
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the Ship Johnston shortly to arrive in Miles River, but that he had no advice, nor had any reason to believe (except from the aforesaid letter from the Baltimore Town Committee) that the said ship would bring either Dry Goods or Salt."