Letter from a Gentleman, at Bladensburg, Maryland, to his brother, in Glasgow

v1:953

I wrote you by the Clyde three days ago, and now send you what news I have heard since. The Province of Virginia is raising one Company in every County, which will make a body of six thousand men. They are all independent; and so great is the ambition to get among them, that men who served as commanding officers last war, and have large fortunes, have offered themselves as private men. This Province has taken the hint, and has begun to raise men in every County also; and to the Northward they have large bodies, capable of acquitting themselves with honour in the field. Since the burning the ship at Annapolis, the common sort seem to think they may now commit any outrage they please; some of them told the Merchants yesterday, that if they would not sell them Goods, they would soon find a way to help themselves. A certain Merchant at Georgetown, ten miles from this, imported from London, on his own account, a large cargo of Goods this Fall, and thought to sell them higher than common. We understand that on Saturday a Committee is to examine them, and should they find the advance too much, they say, he shall, and must sell them lower. What think you of this land of Liberty, when a man' s property is at the mercy of any one that will lead the mob!