To George Washington from Thomas Johnson, 28 June 1774
From Thomas Johnson
Annapolis [Md.] 28 June 1774
Sir
I take the Freedom to inclose you the Resolutions of our general Committee for the Province on the Bills respecting the Massachusetts Governmt and the Act for blocking up the Harbour of Boston—If our general Scheme of Conduct should be adopted by the Congress I think even so strict an Assocation will be kept by the people of Maryland with good Faith I have sanguine Hopes that your Colony will readily join in effectual Measures1—I am sorry to hear that your abrupt Dissolution has thrown you into Difficulties about Officers Fees we have unhappily been for some Time much embarrassed about the Fees of Office here and as you may remember have had some Controversial Pieces on the Subject I preserved a paper which contains the last no Answer having been yet given to it and inclose it you as indeed I would all on the Subject if I had them not from any Opinion the Matter may not be as well handled in Virginia as with us but from an Apprehension that any Thing on the Subject which may tend to an Investigation of the Truth will at this Time be agreeable to you.2 I have strong Expectations from pensylvania but have heard Nothing material from New York. I am sir Your most obedt Servant
Ths Johnson Junr
ALS, DLC:GW. The letter is directed “To be left at Mr [Benedict] Calverts.”
1. The meeting of the Maryland Committee at Annapolis from 22 to 25 June and the resolutions passed at the meeting are reported in the Maryland Gazette (Annapolis) on 30 June. Among the resolutions was the appointment of Matthew Tilghman, Thomas Johnson, Jr., Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, and Samuel Chase as deputies “to attend a general congress of deputies from the colonies, at such time and place as may be agreed on, to effect one general plan of conduct, operating on the commercial connection of the colonies with the mother country, for the relief of Boston and preservation of American liberty; and that the deputies for this province immediately correspond with Virginia and Pennsylvania, and through them with the other colonies, to obtain a meeting of the general congress, and to communicate, as the opinion of this committee, that the twentieth day of September next will be the most convenient time, and the city of Philadelphia the most convenient place, for a meeting, which time and place, to prevent delay, they are directed to propose.”
2. The paper has not been located.