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(No˙ 13)
The long premeditated, and now avowed design of the British Government to raise a revenue from the property of the Colonists, without their consent, on the gift, grant, and disposition of the Commons of Great Britain; the arbitrary and vindictive statutes passed under colour of punishing a riot, to subdue by military force and by famine the Massachusetts-Bay; the unlimited power assumed by Parliament to alter the Charter of that Province, and the Constitutions of all the Colonies, thereby destroying the essential securities of the lives, liberties and properties of the Colonists; the commencement of hostilities by the Ministerial forces, and the cruel prosecution of the war against the people of the Massachusetts-Bay, followed by General
Gage' s Proclamation, declaring almost the whole of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, by name or description, rebels and traitors; are sufficient causes to arm a free People in defence of their liberty, and to justify resistance, no longer dictated by prudence merely, but by necessity, and leave no alternative but base submission, or manly opposition to uncontrollable tyranny. The Congress chose the latter; and for the express purpose of securing and defending the United Colonies, and preserving them in safety against all attempts to carry the above mentioned Acts into execution by force of arms, resolved that the said Colonies be immediately put into a state of defence; and now
We, therefore, inhabitants of the Province of Maryland, firmly persuaded that it is necessary and justifiable to repel force by force, do approve of the opposition by arms to the British Troops employed to enforce obedience to the late acts and statutes of the British Parliament, for raising a revenue in America, and altering and changing the Charter and Constitution of the Massachusetts-Bay, and for destroying the essential securities for the lives, liberties and properties of the subjects in the United Colonies. And we do unite and associate as one band, and firmly and solemnly engage and pledge ourselves to each other, and to America, that we will, to the utmost of our power, promote and support the present opposition carrying on, as well by arms, as by the Continental Association, restraining our commerce.
And as in these times of publick danger, and until a reconciliation with Great Britain on constitutional principles is effected, (an event we most ardently wish may soon take place,) the energy of Government may be greatly impaired, so that even zeal unrestrained may be productive of anarchy and confusion; we do, in like manner, unite, associate and solemnly engage in maintenance of good order and the publick peace, to support the civil power in the due execution of the laws, so far as may be consistent with the
present plan of opposition, and to defend with our utmost power all persons from every species of outrage to themselves or their property, and to prevent any punishment from being inflicted on any offenders, other than such as shall be adjudged by the Civil Magistrate, the Continental Congress, our Convention, Council of Safety, or Committees of Observation.
MATTHEW TILGHMAN.
John Reader, Jun˙,Members of the Convention who signed the Association
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support, at the-joint expense, an Army to restrain the further violence, and repel the future attacks, of a disappointed and exasperated enemy.
Charles Carroll,
John Stewart,
Richard Barnes,
Ephraim Howard, of Henry
John Waters,
Jeremiah Jordon,
Turbutt Wright,
J˙ A˙ Thomas,
Thomas Dorsey,
James Tilghman of Annapolis,
W˙ Smallwood,
H˙ Griffith,
Daniel Jenifer,
Th˙ Sprigg Wootton,
Thomas Wright,
R˙ Hooe,
Richard Brooke,
James Hollyday,
J˙ H˙ Stone,
John Hanson, Jun,
Richard Earle,
William Harrison,
Joseph Chapline,
Solomon Wright,
S˙ Harrison, of Saml˙,
Thos˙ Cramphin, Jr˙,
James Lloyd Chamberlaine,
John Dent,
Upton Sheredine,
Edward Gantt,
Benjamin Nicholson,
Nicholas Thomas,
Samuel Chew,
Wm˙ Buchanan,
Edward Lloyd,
Edward Reynolds,
J˙ Townley Chase,
Peregrine Tilghman,
Benj˙ Mackall, 6th˙,
John Cradock,
Wm˙ Hindman,
Josias Beall,
Thomas Harrison,
L˙ Tilghman, Jun˙,
Robert Tyler,
Darby Lux,
Jamos Benson,
Thomas Contee,
John Moale,
Baker Johnson,
Joseph Sim,
Robert Alexander,
Gustavus Scott,
Benjamin Hall,
Charles Ridgely, son of W˙,
Samuel Handy,
John Contee,
Robert Goldsborough,
W˙ Bowie,
Ben˙ Edward Hall,
Henry Hooper,
O˙ Sprigg,
Thomas Bond,
James Murray,
Jos˙ Beall,
Richard Dallam,
Thomas Ennalls,
Thomas Gantt, Jun˙,
Ignatius Wheeler, Jr˙
Nathaniel Potter,
Walter Bowie,
William Webb,
William Richardson,
David Crauford,
John Veazey, Jun˙,
Richard Mason,
Stephen West,
John D˙ Thompson,
Joshua Clark,
Thomas Sim Lee,
John Cox,
Peter Adams,
John Rogers,
Peter Lawson,
John Stephen,
Samuel Chase,
Nathaniel Ramsay,
William Hopper,
Tho˙ Johnson, Jun˙,
William Curren,
Henry Dickinson,
B˙ T˙ B˙ Worthington,
Charles Ramsay,
Wm˙ Waters,
Rezin Hammond,
W˙ Ringgold, Jun˙,
Wm˙ Molleston,
J˙ Hall,
Thomas Smyth,
George Dashiell,
William Paca,
Jos˙ Earle,
Zadock Purnell,
Matthias Hummond,
Thomas B˙ Hands,
Wm˙ Morris,
Chas˙ Carroll of Carrollton
Thomas Ringgold,
Thomas Stone,
J˙ Nicholson, Jun.