lt< Ifi (I'll,':;'-! li';H ■!'< '' fc;Vy|i -"i^f! -ill: r 'I ,,'"'■ ' ••f''!'i;'i'-''-,'i,^;:-.';S. 1(1, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DDD0SEHS31A % V ^*J 'Jo. ♦ . - o ' oT 0^ \-*'^?^^*'. A" "^ * o » ( v^ >'• U ^^ /^ 1 ■■ ^^ ° o > ,0^ '^ '^o^ **'\ i'~ 'Pa a* v,^Mav.% ** • o > "°o J. o . I 0^^ o.. %, ••• .0^ , ^^^ %: "^^^- *'"r.T'' A «»' » » o ' yV""' V;^P> ^ "\;?^ V"" %;^^v^ ^J'^^V" \;^P>' V'^ »* 0^ 5^ .i:nL% > '^ ^o <.'^ 0<. :. '-n.o^ », . •_es5;S^^'^ o 4*' ..V'-. "^^ ^*^ ..-•- •^_ ■■• %.** ■ -'M^: X-f -'M^-'. V** ' ••■' .'-''^o • ,cs5SKa'^ O .*' <*. O^ .0"., '^ A^^vo, ^' "-^^ ^o-n.^ V^ V^^'v-' "-/^^^o^^' VW\'^' '-. • ^*-. * ^0 V r!> >8C/7'K&T" «>»-r ^^«^-^ . ^^21^ ^/ ti^^t-y ^/C. ^ /^- . ^-^ ^^O^—^' • V' l.>i^.-4»-^>«— «^ ^»^^-^ J^<^ ,,»^^.»V^ .»t^ v-^^3C:-2i,..^^- >«^^^^-— ^<-^--^^^-^ ^'^^^^ ^^>^ -^*-«» ---2^l^. S5. 5^^^«^ / 7 ^i-t^^cC- ^/U. ^^^^^-^, c^^ -^fr>rpnoe 's mndo to a pre- vious "Memorial presented to the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, a copy of which is hereunto annexed with the copies of the affidavits in support of the same." The Memorial of which a copy was so "annexed" was "presented" jointly by -Anthony Stewart and Thomas Charles Willlajns, as given in full at foot hereof. It contains the narrative to which allu- sion was made by me. The affidavits "in support of the same" are those of RIcliard Jarkson, who "commanded the Brigantine Peggj- Stew- art belonging to Mr. Anthony Stewart & Co." and of Robert Ciildeleugh, who was "manager of a rope manufactory carried on by the said Stewart & Co." These two pipers are full of the excit- ing incidents of the six eventful days which culminated in the burning; but, as they cov(?r nine foolscap pages, their addition would unduly trespass on your valuable space. RICHD. D. FISHER. Baltimore, Ajprli 13, 1905. Copy '. To the Right Honble the Lords Commissioners of His Majes- ty's Treasury Ac &c &c. The Me- morial of ANTHONY STEWART and THOMAS CHARLES WIL- LIAMS late of the City of Annap- olis In the Province of Maryland in North America Merchants. Humbly Shewetli That your Memorialist Anthony Stew- art was Owner of the Brigantine Peggy Stewart on a 'Voyage from Annapolis to London in the Year 1774. That your Memorialist Thomas Charles Williams, who was in London In the Year 1774 did Bliip on board the said ship at the Port of London, among other Goods, seven- teen Chests and half Chests of Tea con- signed to, and tlie Property of your Memorialist Thomas Charles Williams and his Brothers Joseph and James Williams his Partners, then Resident in the City of Annapolis aforesaid. And your Memorialist Anthony Stew- art begs Leave to represent to your .Lordships that on the Arrival of the Brigsjitine Peggy Stewnrt nt th" Pnrf flf Annapolis which was in the Month of October 1774 he did regularly enter the said Brigantine and Cargo at the Custom house, paying the Duty on the abovementloned Tea, as Imposed by Act of the British Parliament. That this Step gave great Offence to the Peo- ple of Annapolis who had entered into divers Combinations to prevent the said Act from taking Effect, and a Town Meeting (as it was called) being sum- moned immediately to take this Matter into Consideration It was there debated in what Manner your Memorialist should be punished for the Crime, but at I/Cngtli It was agreed that this being a weighty Business no further Proceed- ings should be held on it til the sense of the County could be taken at large, or In other Words til' the Mob might be gathered from all quarters. That printed hand-bills were accordingly dispersed In the Country tor that Purpose, and on the Day appointed a Number fif dis- orderly People under different Ring*i I c=2 '9" I leaders (as get forth in the Affidavit hereunto annexed) did repair to Annap- olis and Joining with the Inhabitants of the Town did meet In a tumultuous Manner, and calling your Memorialist the said Anthony Stewart before Them, then and there with Threats both against his Person and Property for paying the Duties on Tea abovemen- tioned. did require Him to sign a Paper which they presented to Him declaring Himself sorry for the Offence he had given and voluntarily offering to de- stroy both the Tea and the Vessel as an Atonement. That your Lordships Me- morialist at first refused to sign such Paper, but his Wife being then ill in Child Bed, Apprehensions of the Conse- quence to Her and His Family, should he expose Himself any longer to the Fury of a lawless Mob, prevailed on Him to sign. That he waa then carried by the said Mob in Triumph aboard the Brlgantine and there In Conjunction With Joseph and James Williams Broth- ers to your Memorialist Thomas Charles ■Williams were obliged with their own Hands to set Fire to the Brlgantine and Tea which were in Consequence soon consumed to the Waters Edge and wholly destroyed. The Amount of this Loss to your Memorialist Thomas Charles Williams valueing the Tea at First Cost, Freight, and Duty being Three Hundred and Ninety six Pounds. And the Loss to your Memorialist An- thony Stewart valueing the Brlgantine at Cost, as It was her first Voyage, be- ing Fifteen Hundred Pounds— malces in Ithe Whole Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Blx Pounds. \ That your Ixirdships Memorialist *Anthony Stewart after this Sacrifice iwas suffered to remain undisturbed for some little Time, but as he continued on all Occasions strenuously to oppose the Measures of the Enemies of Gov- ernment he at Length became so obnox- llous to Them that they sought every 'opportunity to Hanass and disstress iHim, that he even could not without^ ■feeing insulted travel in the Country about his lawful Business, that he was hanged and burnt in Efilgy in different Parts of the Province and many Threats thrown out against both his Person and Property, and at Length, after open Hostilities were begun against [Great Britain, being put to the Aiterna- !tlve of either taking up Arms or sub- jecting Himself to such Punishment, as Itlie Provincial Convention should think proper to inflict, he was fain to fly from the Country leaving his Wife Family and Property at the Mercy of the Rebels. That your Memorialist Thomas Charles Willianis arrived from London at New York on the verf Day the Account came there of the Enti-j' of his Tea. that finding the Populace highly irritated and threatening to proceed with the [greatest violence against Him, he fled rout of Town in Disguise and concealing ftHlmself In the Woods, for that Time fescaped their Fury. That Parties were bent out after Him to take Him and a flPrice set upon his Head in the public Papers. That thus hunted about for near three Months ho was at last obliged to Surrender Himself to the Committee of Philadelphia upon a Negotiation be- gun by his Friends, by whicli he agreed 'to sign a Paper such as they chose to dictate to Him. That from this Time i your Memorialist continued in America I till the open Rebellion broke out, when 'he was obliged to fly or take up Arms against his Country. That a due sense of his Duty determined him to the first land that accordingly he contrived to make his Escape in the Night leaving all his Estate Debts &o behind Him. That your Lordships Memorialists having thus represented to your Lord- ships the signal sufferings they have undergone purely from their Obedience to an Act of Parliament relating to a Matter of Revenue, and that their bav- ins actually paid a Duty to his Majestys Collector as imposed by said Act di- rectly produced to your Memorialists a jjjgptructkm of Property to the Amount of Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Six Pounds, besides great Distress and In- Jury In its Consequences to Them and their Affairs as set forth in the above Memorial, They Htimbly pray your Lordships will be pleased to taJte their Case into Consideration and order Them Indemnification for the heavy Loss they have so sustained and such further Re- lief in the Premises as your Lordships in your Wisdom shall think meet. (Signed) Anthony Stewart Thos. Charles Wliliam.s. Two Aflldavits respecting burning of the Peggy Stewart annexed to this Me- morial each sworn to before Sir John Fielding. ^- Voloe, Rice And Old Shno \* Rnii. The Anthony Stevrart Pnpprs In British Government Archives. in. To the Editor of The News: "In support of" the memorial of An- thony Stewart and Thomas Charles Wil- liams, which I published in your issue of April 15, I mentioned the affidavits of Richard Jackson and Robert Calde- leugh, and I now append hereto that of Richard Jackson. As this voucher to the circumstances leading up to and eventuating in the burning of the Peggy Stewart on October 19, 1774. is both in- teresting and important, I give it to your readers in full copy, exactly as It comes to me from Vol. 6 of the Loyalist Se- ries, Audit Ofliice, British Public Record Offlce. Its length necessarily defers the companion affidavit of Robert Calde- leugh to a future communication. RICHARD D. FISHER. Baltimore, April 19, 1905. Richard Jackson, late of the Province of Maryland, in North America, mari- ner, voluntarily make oath that he, the said Richard Jackson, was employed by Mr. Anthony Stewart of the city of An- napolis In the year 1773 and 1774 as mas- ter of a vessel, and he commanded the brlgantine Peggy Stewart, belonging to Mr. Anthony Stewart & Co., on a voyage from Annapolis to London, and on or about the 14th day of October. 1774, this deponent arrived at the port of Annapo- lis aforesaid in the said brlgantine from London, having on board upward of fifty Indented servants, under engage- ments to the owners of the said brlgan- tine, and a cargo of goods upon freight consigned to Messrs. Thomas Cha Wil- liams & Co.. merchants in Annapolis. And the deponent saith that amongother goods consigned to Messrs. Thomas Cha Williams & Co. there were seventeen chests and half chests of tea. and this deponent sayeth that immediately on his arrival he waited on Mr. Antliony Stew- art and told him that the people were murmuring about tea being on board tlie brlgantine, as it is liable to a duty imposed by the British Parliament, and threatened that it should neither be en- tered nor landed, and on being informed of this, this deponent sayeth that Mr. Anthony Stewart went immediately with this deponent to the Custom-house and there entered the said brlgantine and her cargo, and lodged with the Dep- uty Collector a bill of exchange for the payment of the duty on the tea, and this deponent saith that on the evening of the day on which the brlgantine Peggy Stewart was entered at the Custom- house tiie committee of Annapolis called a meeting of the inhabitants to enquire into the transaction, at which meeting Mr. Anthony Stewart, Mr. John Muir, the Deputy Collector, and this deponent were ordered to attend; that accordingly I Mr. Muir and this deponent did attend. ; but Mr. Stewart did not attend, and this deponent saith that after the meeting had chose John Hall, a lawyer, their , chairman, they proceeded to enquire into the circumstances of the arrival and the entry of the brlgantine, and this deponent saith that John Muif, the Dep- uty Collector, being called upon, was asked by the chairman who paid the duty on the tea. whereupon Mr. Muir informed the meeting that Mr. Anthony Stewart had paid on the tea, and this deponent saith that the said Mr. John Muir added that it was much against his inclination to do any thing against the interest of the Colonies, but as Mr. Stewart had insisted on the brlgantine being entered he was obliged to receive the duty on the tea, and this deponent saith that the meeting was much en- raged at Mr. Stewart's conduct, and some of tile meeting proposed that the tea should be immediately landed and burnt under the gallows, and this de- ponent saith that Mr. Mathias Hammond objected to that proposal, alleging that it was not proper to do any thing in the matter until the county was assembled, and this deponent saith that a day was proposed, and that the Wednesday fol- e? lowing, being the IStli, was fixed on for a meeting of tlie people, notice of which was given by printed hand bills being dispersed through the county, and this deponent saith that at the meeting above mentioned a guard was appointed on th« said brigantine to prevent the tea from being landed or removed from on board, and that the guard came on board every day untlU the brigantine was destroyed, and this deponent saith that on Wednes- day, 19th of October, a number of peo- ple from different parts of the Province met at Annapolis, and that he, this de- ponent, being present, heard a great many threats uttered against Mr. Stew- art's life and property on account of his having entered the tea, and this depo- nent saith that it was proposed at the meeting that the tea and register of the brigantine should be burnt and the brlg- antine's name altered from Peggy Stew- art to Wilks and Liberty, that Doctor Warfield proposed that the brigantine and tea should both be burnt, and Mr. Stewart obliged to build another and call her ^A'I^Ks and Liberty, and this deponent saith that, soon after the people assembled he, this deponent, went on board the brigantine Peggy Stewart, and that about two hours after he had been on board several ring- laders of the mob came on board and rought Mr. Stewart and also Messrs. 5seph and James wyilanis with them, nd this deponent saiSh that soon after messenger came from the shore suaA told Mr. Stewart that some of the peo- ple were against burning the brigan- tine. but that Mr. Kezin Hammond and Mr. Charles Rldgley, who were then on board, told Mr. Stewart in this depo- nent's hearing that If he did not imme- diately set Are to the brigantine his house and family would be in danger that night, and added that if he did set fire to the brigantine they would pro- tect him from any further danger, and that this deponent saith upon these threats and assurances Mr. Stewart and Mr. Joseph and James ■Williams jointly set fire to the brigantine and tea, which ■were consumed to ashes, and this depo- tnent saith that the said brigantine was 'burnt, with all her sails and rigging standing and colours flying, and that he, this deponent, was not suffered to re- • move any of the apparel or furniture be- Uonglng to the said brigantine. I (Signed) RICHARD JACKSON. ' And sworn to before Sir John Field- ilng. The original deposition will be found In the Treasury, annexed to the [memorial of Anthony Stewart and 'Thomas Charles AVilllams. ^A^e,^_.ny '^^^ ^ /CSS^ The Antbony Stewart Paper* In Britlab GoTernment Archives. IV. To the Editor of Thb News: I now redeem my promise, made in your Issue of the 22d instant, by handing you herewith the aflldavit of Robert Caldeleugh to the Incidents which cul- minated In the burning of the Peggy Stewart on the 19th of October, 1774. It goes to you Just as it comes to me from Vol. VI. of the Loyalist Series of the Audit Ofnce of the British Public Rec- ords. The narrative of this eye-witness and ear-witness I beg you will reproduce "au naturel," in all its confusion of capitals and deficiency of punctuation. It is most at ease in its own homely dress. RICHD. D. FISHER. Baltimore, April 26. /; ROBERT CALDELEUGH late of the City ot Annapolis in the Province of Maryland In North America Ropemaker voluntarily maketh Oath, That he the said Robert Caldeleugh did for many Years previous to the breaking out of the present Rebellion in America, live in the Employment of Mr. Anthony Stew- art of the City of Annapolis as Manager of a Rope Manufactory carried on by the said Stewart and Company and thereby had an Opportunity of being in- timately acquainted with many other Transactions in Business carried on by the said Mr. Stewart, particularly that the said Mr. Stewart and Company were Owners of a Brigantine called the Peggy Stewart whereof Richard Jackson was Master That the said Brigantine arrived at Annapolis aforesaid on or about the 14th Day of October 1774 having on Board to the Deponents certain Knowl- edge upwards of fifty Indented Servants under the usual Engagements as this Deponent verily believes to the Owners of said Brigantine and also a Cargo of European and East Indian Goods upon Freight Consigned to and as this De- ponent verily believes the Property of Thomas Charles 'Williams and Co. in Annapolis aforesaid. And this Deponent saith that among the Goods belonging to Thomas Charles Williams & Co. were several Chests said to contain Tea, which this Deponent verily believes did so, and this Deponent saith, that on the Day the said Brigann. arrived at Annapolis aforesaid, Mr. Anthony Stewart did en- ter the said Brigantine at the Custom house and Secured the Duty on the Tea to be paid to His Majesty's Collector as this J^eponent was Informed by Mr. Stewart, and this Deponent saith that on the Arrival of the said Brigan- tine and it being Known that the said Veesell was entered at the Customhouse, and the Duty of the Tea paid or se- curea to be paid, the Committee of An- napolis called a Meeting of the Inhab- itants to enquire into the Transaction, and the Deponent saith that the Meeting of the Inhabitants of Annapolis afore- said was on the Evening of the Day on which the Brigantine Peggy Stewart Arrived, and that he this Deponent be- ing present at the Said MeeUng, had an Opportunity of observing Every thmg which passed. And this Deponent saith, that after the people then Assembled had chosen John Hall a Lawyer Chair- man of the Meeting, they made Enquiry, who was the Person that had entered the Tea Imported in the Brigantine Peg- gy Stewart whereupon John Mulr the Deputy Collector who attended at the Meeting was called upon, and declared that the Brigantine Peggy Stewart was entered at the Custom House by Mr. Anthony Stewart, and that the Duty on the Tea on Board the said Brigantine was secured to be paid by the said Mr. Stewart, and this Deponent saith that sd John Mulr the Deputy Collector like- wise said that he eald Mulr did not like to do any thing against the Liberties of America:, but as Mr. Stewart had in- sisted upon entering his Vessell he was obliged In Virtue of hia Office to enter the Tea and demand Security for the Duty thereof which Mr. Stewart readily granted and this Deponent saith that after the Meeting had received the above mentioned Information from Mr. Mulr the Deputy Collector, Mr. Mathias Ham- mond made a Motion to the following Effect, as near as the Deponent can rec- ollect, That as Mr. Stewart liad Acted in Defiance of the Resolves of the Com- mittee in Entering of the Tea, and had made such a daring Infringement on the Liberties of America It was proper that a Meeting of the County should be called before they proceeded any fur- ther in the Matter then before them. Ac- cordingly the Meeting was ad.iourned till the Wednesday following being the 19th Day ot October and printed Hand Bills were dispersed through the Prov- ince giving Notice thereof to the In- habitants, and this Deponent saith that he was present at Annapolis on Wednes- day the 19th Day ot October, and that a great Number of People from different parts of the Province of Maryland met at Annapolis on that Day, and that many of them threatened Mr. Anthony Stewart with Death to burn his House and himself in it, and such other Pun- ishment as their Rage dictated. And this Deponent saith that the parties from the different parts of this Province were headed by the following persons \izt. A Party from Prince George County head- ed by Walter Bowie a Planter, a Party from Baltimore headed by Charles Bidg- ly Junr a Representative in Assembly for that County, a Party from Baltimore Town headed by Mordecal Gist and John Deavor, a Party from Elk Ridge m Arundel County headed by Dr. Ephraim Howard another Party from same place by Dr. Warfield, a Party from the Head 1 of Severn River headed by Rezen Ham- mond son of Philip, And this Deponent I saith that when the Mob was Assembled Mr. Mathias Hammond and Mr. Charles Carroll (Barrister) did Propose as an Atonement for the Crime Mr^ Stewart had Committed that the Tea Should be taken out of the Brigantine Peggy Stew- art and carried under the Gallows and there burnt, but this was objected to and not deemed Satisfaction enougli by the ^bove Ringleaders, and nothing would Satisfy the Mob unless the Brig- antine and Tea were both burnt, and this Deponent saith that after the Mob had rejected the Proposal of Mr. Ham- mond and Mr. Carroll, they sent Mr Charles Wallace and Mr. Mordecai Gist for Mr. Stewart who brought him from his own House to the Place where the Mob was Assembled, and '^s D^P°";'"' saith, that Messrs. Joseph "^'"'anj^s ^"^ James Williams Partners with Thomas Charies Williams were Present also, and this Deponent saith that a Paper was produced to Mr. Stewart and Messrs. Williams which they were Ordered to read Separately to the People then As- sembled which they did accordingly purporting that they were sorry for the Offence they had given the People j Messrs. Williams in Importing the Tea, and Mr. Stewart in having paid the Duty and that they now voluntarily Of- fered to destroy the Tea as an Atone- ment for their Crime, and this Deponent saith that he verily believes if Mr. Stew- art had not complied with the Order of the Mob that his Life would have been in irainent Danger their Rage was lev- elled particularly against him for hav- ing paid the Duty on the Tea, and this Deponent Saith that after the above- mentioned paper was read Mr. Stewart together with Messrs. Williams were carried off in a Boat and were obliged to set Fire to the Brigantine with all her Sails Rigging and Tackle of every kind and also the Tea belonging to Messrs. Thomas Charies Williams & Co. all -which were consumed in a few Hours, And this Deponent saith from what he heard among the People that day. he verily believes that if Mr. Stewart had not agreed to set Fire to the Brigantine, that his House and other Property in Anna.polis would have been destroyed, and this Deponent further believes that Mr Stewart's Person would have been much Maltreated and his Life in 1ml- -^ Sient Danger, If he had not compiled with the Requisition of the Mob. (Slgrned) ROBT. CALDELEUGH. I And Sworn before Sir John Fielding; [the Original Deposition will be found In the Treasury Office Annexed to the ' Memorial of Anthony Stewart and Thomas Charles Williams. \ ./ X ' ^ c/ Vl -1 ' ^ Trom the Baltimore Ifews Kay 9, 190&. The Aathony Stewart Papers In Pritlah rTovermnont Archives. V. To the Mitor of The News: In your issue of April 15 last I made mention of Aathony Stewart '# Rallfa:& Moioorlal of 1763. That J'temorltvl craves rfiference to "the Copj^ of on T^xtrtiot frora aovemor Men's Letter tc the ^xg'^t " v- - -,| George (Jemaln, dated t>ie 18th of September, 1775, aid t- The said "copy of im Bxtract" I now hand you, tub join <^d .lust as it ocnwa tc ra** from Vol. vi., Tojuliat Series, Audit Office, British Public Record Office. One objsct of its present publication is to eall attention to the fact that ahortfiy after the burninR ^f tH« Peggy Stevjart, In 1774, an •Aoocimt" of thatevent was transmitted to the ^nlis^ uuthorii.ios by the aovemor. The hi:'h char:icter of this official, combined with the responsibility of his office, aho uld make this the most valuable of all contemporan' accounts. Search for it in this countrj' haviiv, so far proved xmavailinfi;, I am now s^^ckinfi; it in i^igland, with undertain hopa of success. Meanwhile, should any of your reader* know of it, directly or indirect , I shall be glad to" hear from them* RICHARD X> FlaHER. Baltimore, Hay 6. The Orie^nal T.«tter from whence the following Extract ia taken will be formd In ^^"'^ ^lecretary of State's Office. Extract of a Letter' f r:^i aov-^racr -^. aji of !!a^^'land to the lUght Honourable ''■ord (Jeorga usrru^ai^ d;.i-'>^ V^jiapolla, loth SeptwSber ,1775, referred to in the foregoing 'Aen^rial. **Th« Bearer of this Mr. Anthony Stewart Merch»Joh Your Lordship may be informed of by Mr. 3t«wart or by referring to the Letters. I had the Honour of writing to and receiving from Lord Hillsborough on that Occasion. ^ ^ ^, « * -o^ Mr. Dick and this Gentleman were also Owners of the Brigg Poggy Stewart burnt here about a Fortnight b(5fore B\y Return to xsa^ -government last year; the moat impartial Accoxmt I could j roc are of tvo.t at-'ociouti Act I sent -^ome, soon after a^ A.-rival, to be laid before >our •?-ord- Ghip, and jOur Lordship wiU recr?ive ■■. fvdl autheiitic^t ai state of the Facta relative to both theae Affairs from Mr. ;5tewart viiho will have the Roncr of waiting on ;- our Lordship. Kia character h^re has ev