ADDRESS OF THE CITIZENs of BALTIMORE TO THE BALTIMORE, November 15, 1781. It is with peculiar satisfaction that the citizens of Baltimore embrace the present CHANTS OF BALTIMORE. moment, to express a gratitude which they To COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU, BY THE MERwill always owe to major general the marquis de la Fayette; and to congratulate him, personally, on the late important events in Virginia and South Carolina, so glorious and consequential to America. Among the first in our cause, you early found a way to our affections, with him, who has struggled with our various difficulties since their beginning. At a time when we had no ally, you were our friend; and when we gained an ally, your presence and good offices could not but increase a cordiality which must render our union with France permanent. In particular, we cannot sufficiently acknowledge our sense of your late campaign in Virginia, where, with a few regulars and militia, you opposed the British commander, from whose large army, and military talents this state had such serious cause of apprehension. These things, sir, have rendered you dear to us, and we feel the highest gratification in seeing, once more, in our town, the man who will always hold a first place in our hearts. REPLY OF MAJOR GENERAL DE LA FAYETTE TO BALTIMORE, November 15, 1781. In the affectionate attentions of the citizens of a free town, I would find a reward for the services of a whole life. The honor to have been among the first American soldiers, is for me a source of the greatest happiness. I participate with you in the glorious events that have taken place under his excellency, general Washington's immediate command, and under general Greene. I enjoy the effects these will have on the success of our noble cause and particularly the advantages which they will afford to this state. The time when I had the honor to command the army in Virginia, which you are pleased so politely to mention, has only shewn that the courage and fortitude of American troops are superior to every kind of difficulty. BALTIMORE, July 29, 1782. Yesterday a deputation of the merchants of this town, waited upon his excellency COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU, and presented him the following address, expressing their grateful sentiments of his very polite attention to their request for protection of the trade, etc. To his excellency the COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU, commander in chief of the auxiliary troops of his most Christian majesty, in the United States. We, the merchants of the town of Baltimore, impressed with a grateful sense of the important services rendered by your excellency, and the gallant forces under your command, to the United States, and more particularly to the state of Maryland, beg leave to wait upon your excellency, and return you our most sincere thanks, in this public manner, for the distinguished aid and protection, which you have, from time to time, so willingly afforded to the commercial interests of this state, and to inform your excellency, that we are happy in the opportunity of paying you this tribute, so justly due to distinguished merit. And, permit us, sir, on this occasion, to observe, that when the distresses of this country rendered an application to the French nation for assistance necessary, the wisdom of your sovereign pointed out your excellency as the grand instrument to assist in our salvation; and, with gratitude, we remark, that the objects of your appointment have been fully answered, and the events that have taken place, since your happy arrival in America, and in which you acted so distinguished a part, fully evince the propriety of your sovereign's choice, and the magnanimity of his intentions toward usfor we have seen a British army, numerous and well appointed, become prisoners of war to the united exertions of the combined armies of France and America-an event that was considerably accelerated by the great experience and military talents of your excellency, and the valor of the officers and soldiers under your My campaign began with a personal obliga- command, and which, we trust, will tend event I flatter myself that they will maintain, with you, that good understanding, and harmony of sentiments, which we have been happy enough to experience, till now, from your fellow citizens in the different states. ually to the establishment of the rights and | duty and station renders the convenience of a BEAU. LE CTE DE ROCHAMBEAU. ADDRESS In hopes that your excellency will enjoy OF THE GOVERNOR to Count de ROCHAMhealth and happiness, while you reside among us, and on return to your native country, may you be rewarded by your sovereign, in proportion to your merits and services-we remain, with sentiments of gratitude and esteem, on behalf of the merchants of Baltimore, your excellency's most obedient servants, SAMUEL PURVIANCE, RICHARD CURSON, SAMUEL SMITH, MARK PRINGLE, WILLIAM PATTERSON. REPLY OF COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU. BALTIMORE, July, 1782. To the merchants of the town of Baltimore. GENTLEMEN-The intentions of the king, my master, toward his faithful allies, being that his auxiliary troops should not only protect the liberties of the United States, but watch over their commercial interests, as often and as much as would be in their power, I have felt a peculiar pleasure to have been able to render some service to your state. The noblest reward for me is, without doubt, the approbation of such a respectable body of citizens. The praises which you are pleased to bestow on my conduct, and that of the officers and soldiers under my command, are due, in a great measure, to his excellency general Washington, and his army, to whose exertions we have had the honor to co-operate, in the reduction of the British army at York-Town. My sovereign will certainly be impressed with a grateful sense of the general joy which has been diffused among the people of all ranks in the United States, upon the birth of an heir to his kingdom. I shall not fail to make him acquainted with your patriotic and generous wishes. I embrace with pleasure, gentlemen, this occasion, to render you my sincere thanks for the readiness with which you have taken in your houses our staff-officers and others, whose ANNAPOLIS, August 15, 1783. On Saturday last arrived in this city, on a visit to our governor, his excellency count Rochambeau, commander in chief of the auxiliary army in the United States, accompanied by the Count Dillon, and several other French officers of distinction, and on Monday morning set out on his return to Baltimore. To his excellency COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU, commander in chief of the auxiliary army in the United States. ANNAPOLIS, Aug. 11, 1782. SIR-It is with singular pleasure, that the executive of Maryland embrace the opportunity afforded by your arrival in this city, of offering your excellency every mark of esteem and respect. Accept, sir, our warmest thanks for the distinguished part you sustained in the reduction of York; to the wisdom of your counsels, the vigor of your conduct, the bravery of the troops under your command, and to the judicious exertions of the Count de Grasse, the success obtained by the allied army is, in a great degree, to be attributed. We are happy to assure your excellency, that the people of this state, deeply interested in every event which can promote the felicity of your illustrious monarch, or his kingdom, received with the most lively demonstrations of joy, the account of the birth of a Dauphin. That the young prince may emulate the virtues, and inherit the dominions of his royal father, and that the union, founded on the most generous equality, and cemented by the blood of both nations, may endure forever, is our fervent wish; the incidents of war have only more strongly united our affections, and we doubt not, that the ancient spirit of France, with her numerous resources, will soon humble the pride of our common enemy. The ready protection afforded by your excellency to the commerce of Maryland, demands our grateful acknowledgments; the decorum and exemplary discipline observed by your troops, on their march through the state, have given entire satisfaction to our citizens; our duty and inclination will prompt us to do every thing in our power for their convenience; and we request your excellency to communicate to the generals and other officers of your army the high sense we entertain of their merit, and the affection and regard we have for their persons and characters. In behalf of the executive, THOMAS S. LEE. Reply of the COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU. To his excellency the governor, and the honorable council of the state of Maryland. ANNAPOLIS, August 11, 1782. I am very sensible of the marks of friendship and affection that I receive from his excellency the governor, and the honorable council of the state of Maryland. If we have been happy enough to contribute toward the success of their arms, under our commander in chief, his excellency General Washington, we receive the most flattering marks of approbation, by the very cordial reception the French army meet with from all the inhabitants of this state. The great joy and interests they have been pleased to show, on account of the birth of the Dauphin, will undoubtedly, be very agreeable to the king my master; he will be equally flattered at the warmth with which the state of Maryland support their alliance, and wish it to be lasting. The strict discipline of the troops, is the least mark of gratitude that we could give to a state from which we receive so many proofs of attachment and friendship. I have the honor to be, your obedient and most humble servant, LE COMPTE DE ROCHAMBEAU. PROCEEDINGS VIRGINIA. OF DELEGATES ASSEMBLED AT WILLIAMSBURG, VA., AUGUST 1, 1774. At a very full meeting of the delegates from the different counties in the colony and dominion of Virginia, begun in Williamsburg, the first day of August, in the year of our Lord 1774, and continued by several adjournments to Saturday the 6th of the said month, the following association was unanimously resolved upon and agreed to. We, his majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the delegates of the freeholders of Virginia, deputed to represent them at a general meeting in the city of Williamsburg, avowing our inviolable and unshaken fidelity and attachment, to our most gracious sovereign, our regard and affection for all our friends and fel low subjects in Great Britain and elsewhere, protesting against every act or thing, which may have the most distant tendency to interrupt, or in any wise disturb his majesty's peace, and the good order of government, within this his ancient colony, which we are resolved to maintain and defend, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, but at the same time affected with the deepest anxiety, and most alarming apprehensions, of those grievances and distresses by which his majesty's American subjects are oppressed, and having taken under our most serious deliberation, the state of the whole con tinent, find that the present unhappy situation of our affairs is chiefly occasioned by certain ill-advised regulations, as well of our trade as internal policy, introduced by several unconstitutional acts of the British parliament, and at length, attempted to be enforced by the hand of power; solely influenced by these important and weighty considerations, we think it an indispensable duty, which we owe to our country, ourselves, and latest posterity, to guard against such dangerous and extensive mischiefs, by every just and proper means. If, by the measures adopted, some unhappy consequences and inconveniences should be derived to our fellow subjects, whom we wish not to injure in the smallest degree, we hope and flatter ourselves, that they will impute them to their real cause—the hard necessity to which we are driven. That the good people of this colony may, on so trying an occasion, continue steadfastly directed to their most essential interests, in hopes that they will be influenced and stimulated by our example to the greatest industry, the strictest economy, and frugality, and the execution of every public virtue, persuaded that the merchants, manufacturers, and other inhabitants of Great Britain, and, above all, that the British parliament will be convinced how much the true interest of that kingdom must depend on the restoration and continuance of that mutual friendship and cordiality, which so happily subsisted between us, we have unanimously, and, with one voice, entered into the following resolutions and association, which we do oblige ourselves, by those sacred ties of honor and love to our country, strictly to observe; and further declare, before God and the world, that we will religiously adhere to and keep the same inviolate, in every particular, until redress of all such American grievances as may be defined and settled at the general congress of delegates from the different colonies, shall be fully obtained, or until this association shall be abrogated or altered by a general meeting of the deputies of this colony, to be convened, as is herein after directed. And we do, with the greatest earnestness, recommend this our association, to all gentlemen, merchants, traders, and other inhabitants of this colony, hoping that they will cheerfully and cordially accede thereto. Ist. We do hereby resolve and declare that we will not, either directly or indirectly, after the first day of November next, import from Great Britain, any goods, wares, or merchandises, whatever, (medicines excepted,) nor will we, after that day, import any British manufactures, either from the West-Indies or any other place, nor any article whatever, which we shall know, or have reason to believe, was brought into such countries from Great Britain, nor will we purchase any such articles so imported, of any person or persons whatsoever, except such as are now in the country, or such as may arrive on or before the said first day of November, in consequence of orders already given, and which cannot now be countermanded in time. 2dly. We will neither ourselves import, nor purchase any slave, or slaves, imported by any person, after the first day of November next, either from Africa, the West-Indies, or any other place. 3dly. Considering the article of tea as the detestable instrument which laid the foundation of the present sufferings of our distressed friends in the town of Boston, we view it with horror, and therefore, resolve that we will not, from this day, either import tea of any kind whatever, nor will we use or suffer, even such of it as is now at hand, to be used in any of our families. 4thly. If the inhabitants of the town of Boston, or any other colony, should, by violence or dire necessity, be compelled to pay the EastIndia company for destroying any tea, which they have lately, by their agents, unjustly attempted to force into the colonies, we will not, directly or indirectly, import or purchase any British East-India commodity whatever, till the company, or some other person, on their behalf, shall refund and fully restore to the owners, all such sum or sums of money as may be so extorted. 5thly. We do resolve, that unless American grievances be redressed before the 10th day of August, 1775, we will not, after that day, directly or indirectly, export tobacco or any other article whatever, to Great Britain; nor will we sell any such articles as we think can be exported to Great Britain with a prospect of gain, to any person or persons whatever, with a design of putting it into his or their power to export the same to Great Britain, either on our own, his or their account. And that this resolution may be the more effectually carried into execution, we do hereby recommend it to the inhabitants of this colony, to refrain from the cultivation of tobacco as much as conveniently may be, and in lieu thereof that they will, as we resolve to do, apply their attention and industry, to the cultivation of all such articles, as may form a proper basis for manufactures of all sorts, which we will endeavor to encourage throughout this colony to the utmost of our abilities. 6thly. We will endeavor to improve our breed of sheep, and increase their number to the utmost extent, and to this end, we will be as sparing as we conveniently can in killing of sheep, especially those of the most profitable kind, and if we should at any time be overstocked and can conveniently spare any we will dispose of them to our neighbors, especially the poorer sort of people, upon moderate terms. 7thly. Resolved, that the merchants and others, venders of goods and merchandises within this colony, ought not to take advantage of the scarcity of goods that may be occasioned by this association, but that they ought to sell the same, at the rates they have been accustomed to for twelve months past, and if they shall sell any such goods on higher terms, or shall in any manner, or by any device whatever, violate or depart from this resolution, we will not, and are of opinion that no inhabitant of this colony ought, at any time thereafter, to deal with any such persons, their factors, or agents, for any commodity whatever; and it is that we will conform to, and strictly observe, all such alterations, or additions, assented to by the delegates for this colony, as they may shall be published and made known to us. recommended to the deputies of the several counties, that committees be chosen in each county, by such persons as accede to this association, to take effectual care that these re-judge it necessary to adopt, after the same solves be properly observed, and for corresponding occasionally with the general committee of correspondence in the city of Williamsburg. Provided that, if exchange should rise, such advance may be made in the prices of goods as shall be approved by the committee of each county. 8thly. In order the better to distinguish such worthy merchants and traders, who are well wishers to this colony, from those who may attempt, through motives of self-interest, to obstruct our views, we do hereby resolve, that we will not, after the first day of November next, deal with any merchant or trader, who will not sign this association, nor until he hath obtained a certificate of his having done so from the county committee, or any three members thereof. And if any merchant, trader, or other persons, shall import any goods or merchandise, after the first day of November, contrary to this association, we give it as our opinion, that such goods and merchandise should be either forthwith re-shipped, or delivered up to the county committee, to be stored at the risk of the importer, unless such im- | porter shall give a proper assurance to the said committee, that such goods or merchandises shall not be sold within this colony during the continuance of this association; and if such importer shall refuse to comply with one or the other of these terms, upon application and due caution given to him or her, by the said committee, or any three members thereof, such committee is required to publish the truth of the case in the Gazettes, and in the county where he or she resides, and we will thereafter consider such person or persons as inimical to this country, and break off every connection and all dealings with them. 9thly. Resolved, That if any person or persons shall export tobacco, or any other commodity, to Great Britain, after the 10th day of August, 1775, contrary to this association, we shall hold ourselves obliged to consider such person or persons as inimical to the community, and as an approver of American grievances; and give it as our opinion, that the public should be advertised of his conduct, as in the 8th article is desired. 1othly. Being fully persuaded that the united wisdom of the general congress may improve these our endeavors to preserve the rights and liberties in British America, we decline enlarging at present, but do hereby resolve | | 11thly. Resolved, That we think ourselves called upon by every principle of humanity and brotherly affection, to extend the utmost and speediest relief to our distressed fellow subjects in the town of Boston, and therefore most earnestly recommend it to all the inhabitants of this colony, to make such liberal contributions as they can afford; to be collected and remitted to Boston, in such manner as may best answer so desirable a purpose. 12thly, and lastly. Resolved, That the moderator of this meeting, and, in case of his death, Robert Carter Nicholas, esquire, be empowered, on any future occasion, that may in his opinion require it, to convene the several delegates of this colony, at such time and place as he may judge proper; and in case of the death or absence of any delegate, it is recommended that another be chosen in his place. Peyton Randolph, J. Walker, Meriwether Smith, Thomas M. Randolph, J. Mercer, Richard Adams, George Lyne, Carter Braxton, William Aylett, Charles Carter, Francis Peyton, Thomas Walker, Thomas Pettus, Edmund Berkeley, James Montague, |