GOVERNOR EDEN TO LORD HILLSBRO'.

Brig Good Intent sent back.

ANNAPOLIS 21 Febry. 1770.

MY LORD,

From my Situation here as Governor of this province it is incumbent upon me to give your lordship immediate information of a late transaction of a Committee of the associators here relative to the Brig Good Intent, William Evrington, chartered by John Buchanan Merchant in London with goods to Sundry Merchants here.

Previous to the arrival of the above Brig Mess" Dick and Stewart Merchants in this City, and attorneys in fact for Mr. Buchanan, gave notice in our Gazette that such a Vessel was Expected and that no goods should be landed for twelve days after her arrival in order to allow a free inspection of her papers &c; for which advertisement I refer your lordship to the inclosed Gazette of the 25th January.

In consequence of this advertisement very soon after the Vessel arrived, four Commissioners from each of the three Counties' principally interested in the importation met here; for whose resolves (in Consequence whereof the Brig returns to England) I also refer your lordship to the other inclosed gazette of the 15th instant.

I think my Lord I can venture to assure you, that this step of the Committee, far from being the general sense of the Province, has not been attended with the approbation they Expected. The Merchants concerned from their Situation, were obliged to comply with the determination of a Committee, whose Election perhaps was partial & hasty, whose resolution was not unanimous, and which I really

believe the most violent of them are now sorry they entered into, although they are ashamed to recant.

I can give your Lordship but little information of their proceedings, except from the inclosed prints; they were so close as never to allow more than one of the Merchants concerned to attend them at a time.

As soon as the issue of their deliberations were made public I endeavoured as my duty to my Sovereign and the Colony required, to persuade them to reconsider the matter and for that purpose laid before some of them Extracts of your lordships two last letters to me, but could not convince them of the impropriety of their conduct on this occasion, when they have the greatest reason to expect, that the act they complain of as a grievance is already or shortly will be repealed.

The arguments had no Effect and the Brig sails tomorrow for England, liable to be seized in the first English Port she Enters for carrying back India Goods and other things contrary to the condition of the Bonds given on shipping them; liable also to actions on every bill of lading given by the Captain who could act no otherwise than he has done any more than the Merchants concerned.

I will just beg leave to observe that Mr. Buchanan signed the City address, which gave great offence to many of his Employers here. How far that may have contributed towards the virulence of this proceeding, I will not take upon me to determine, although the Committee calls this premeditated design to subvert the association.

The Collector and Surveyor of this Port Mess Calvert and Eddis have wrote fully on this head to the Commissioners of the Customs in London, who probably will apply to your lordship for your directions how to act with respect to the vessel. I can only say, my Lord, that the Captain was obliged to act as he has done, and that as neither he nor his Employer are to blame the compulsion upon them will I hope Entitle them to some indulgence.

I will send your Lordship the pamphlet advertised at the bottom of the above account as soon as it comes out,

I have had the honour of receiving your lordship's letter No. 17 which gave me the greatest satisfaction, as it conveyed to me his Majesty's gracious opinion of the temper and Moderation shewn to the Maryland Assembly this last Session and his approbation of my past conduct which it shall ever be my earnest endeavour to merit a continuance of.

Should his Majesty from your lordships recommendation be at any time graciously pleased to honour me with a Lieut. Colonels Brevet I should be bound ever to consider it the highest favour. I served his Majesty fourteen years and was abroad most part of the last war and my predecessor without a superior claim obtained the rank I now solicit.

By Capt. Lynch I had the honour of transmitting to your lordship the proceedings of the General Assembly since my arrival with copies of the laws Enacted the last year. Against the next vessel sails I will collect and transmit to your lordship the journals required since 1763 and the Copies also of the laws enacted during that period and shall take care that they are more punctually sent for the future.

Prop. Z.

I have &c.

ROBT. EDEN

MY LORD,

GOVERNOR EDEN TO LORD HILLSBRO'.

Good Intent sent back to England — Appologies.

ANNAPOLIS 19 Aug 1770

I have the honour of your lordships letter of the 12th June ulto. on the subject of mine of the 25th february respecting the proceedings of the Committee of the arrival of the Brigantine Good Intent from London. Permit me again to observe to your lordship that Mess's Dick and Stewart, Consignees and importers of goods in this Vessel and the Agents and Attorneys of Mr. John Buchanan Merchant in London, the owner or rather the Employer of the Brig, by their advertisement in the Maryland Gazette, solicited as a favour, that a Committee from the three Counties concerned would meet at Annapolis for the very purpose of having a full and strict examination made, whether the goods had been shipped contrary to and with an intention to counteract the general association of the Traders and other Inhabitants of the province.

The determination of the Committee thus convened, in consequence of the solicitation thus publicly and earnestly communicated was (I believe) contrary to the expectation of the importers and agents of M Buchanan; and I informed your Lordship of the step I took to prevent that determination, the only steps as far as I am able to judge that I could take with propriety. The Importers and agents submitted. They had their reasons. They chose rather to make an immediate sacrifice of their interests than not stand fair in the opinion of those on whose esteem their success in business depended. No complaint or application was made to myself or any other person in Office of

injury or for protection from the Merchants, or from his Majesty's Custom House officers. No disorder or outrage was committed or even threatened. It is, my Lord, my earnest desire, my determined resolution to do my duty. It ever has been, my lord, and when I fail in it I shall have the excuse of being mistaken; but that I wish to avoid and therefore to know how it was in my power or would have been in the power of any Governor in America, whether of a Royal or proprietary province to hinder the importers of goods from reshipping them, to prevent their acquiescence under the decision of a Committee they called for themselves and appealed to. They had their motives, such as was natural to men in their circumstances, such as the authority of no Government could control.

Associations have been formed, Committees have been appointed to examine the conduct of those who have engaged in them and goods imported into America have been re-shipped. But, my Lord, these circumstances are not peculiar to Maryland, and are therefore your Lordship must allow me to remark, no indication, that the authority or vigour of government is less influential here than in the provinces to the Northward or Southward; They only prove my Lord, that Maryland has not been so happy as to escape the flame of discontent which has overspread the other Colonies.

It is no small mortification to me that your Lordship should think the measure adopted by the Merchants of remitting the Vessel and goods to London to have been owing to any peculiar want of vigour in my Government. How soon there may be a similar occurrence I cannot foresee, nor consequently how soon I may again be obnoxious to the censure of not exercising the powers with which I am vested; for to myself I must take the censure of the want of vigour, and not seek for excuse in the incompetency of my official authorities, should the laws be violated and redress witheld from those who are entitled to it.