Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/116

84 dial relations began to grow up between the two colonies. These relations were strengthened by their mutual participation in the Revolution.

These old quarrels are now happily healed, and the people of no two states in the Union are now bound by ties of more cordial friendship than the people of Virginia and Maryland. The mention of this historic feud now excites a smile rather than angry sentiments, be cause it long ago reached friendly adjustment, and its solution produced results beneficial to the whole country, and of which both states are proud.

The event alluded to, which revived this colonial feud, was the capture by Virginia of letters from Lord George Germaine, the English secretary of state, addressed to &quot; Robert Eden, Esq., deputy governor of Maryland.&quot; Governor Eden was the brother-in-law of the last proprietor of Maryland. (Maryland, William Hand Brown.)

The sixth Lord Baltimore, dying in 1771, leaving no legitimate issue, bequeathed Maryland to his natural son, Henry Harford. After the beginning of the Revolutionary war, Governor Eden occupied a peculiar position. He remained as governor of Maryland, and exercised his functions as the representative of the proprietary interest, with the concurrence of the convention, and enjoyed a high degree of confidence and popularity, although making no secret of his attachment to the interests of England. &quot;The exemption of Maryland from British attack was attributed to his presence, and excited the suspicion of the other colonies.

Lord George Germaine, under date of December 23, 1775&amp;gt; wrote to Governor Eden two letters which were captured by Captain Barren on the Chesapeake bay, from a British vessel, some time in April, 1776, and were delivered to the Virginia committee of safety. These intercepted letters were forwarded to the authorities of Maryland, and their contents communicated to Congress. Thereupon, the president of Congress wrote