Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/117

Rh to the Maryland council of safety, urging the immediate arrest of Governor Eden and inclosing the &quot;Resolve of Congress&quot; to the following effect:

&quot;That information had come to Congress that the governor carried on a correspondence with the ministry highly dangerous to American liberty, which was confirmed by some letters to him from Lord George Germaine, lately intercepted and sent up to Virginia, by which it appears to them that the public safety requires his person and papers to be seized; that they recommend it to this council of safety to secure him and them immediately and send them to Philadelphia. (Am. Arch., Fourth Series, Vol. 6, p. 735.)

About the same time, General Charles Lee ordered the commanding officer of the troops at Annapolis to arrest Governor Eden. This order was conveyed through Mr. Samuel Purviance, chairman of the Baltimore committee, and steps were taken for the arrest. The Maryland council of safety interposed at this point, and prevented further proceedings. The matter was referred to the Maryland convention, which, May 24, nine days after the instructions of Virginia to move independence, took action censuring Mr. Purviance, and adopting resolutions containing, among others, the following:

&quot;It is the intention of this convention to preserve, as far as may be, the ostensible form of government, in hopes it may have some influence toward a reunion with Great Britain. &quot; * * *

&quot;Therefore, the request is, that the governor will not take an active hostile part; or, until the event of the commissioners is known, that he will not correspond with administration, or those who may be carrying on hostilities in America, directly or indirectly.&quot;

&quot;If the governor thinks himself at liberty to enter into such engagement, it is much the inclination of the convention that he should continue in the province in his station.&quot; (Am. Arch., Fourth Series, Vol. 6, p. 736-7.)