And now, the rest of the story

Last week I spoke about Patrick Graham asking for mercy for his transgressions against the Resolves of the Continental Congress of 1775. Here are the facts leading up to his downfall.

Information being made to some of the members of the Committee of this County, on Monday, the 29th of May, that certain persons had imported, and were privately selling goods in a daring and direct violation of the Continental Association, a meeting of the Committee was immediately called, and but few members attending, a general meeting was publickly requested this day, when a very full and respectable number attended at the Court-House, in Port-Tobacco, to make inquiry into this affair; and it was clearly and satisfactorily proved, that a certain John Baillie, who last May came a passenger in the Ship Lady Margaret, Captain William Noble, from Scotland, had brought sundry Dry Goods with him, which appeared, by the testimony of Baillie and Patrick Graham, living in Port-Tobacco, to have been put on board and landed without the consent or knowledge of the Captain, though Baillie swore that Captain Noble knew of his having goods on board the ship when he arrived in Wicomico. It also appeared that Baillie, when he put these goods on board the ship in Scotland, knew of the Continental Association, and that Patrick Graham, in a secret manner, did assist and aid him in taking them from on board the ship, and did privately lake them into his house, and secretly sell a part thereof, for his own and Baillie’s interest, to several people in this County, without letting them know the circumstances under which they were imported. Whereupon the Committee Resolved, That the said John Baillie and Patrick Graham, for their infamous conduct, ought to be publickly known and held up as foes to the rights of British America, and universally contemned as the enemies of American liberty; and that every person ought henceforth to break off all dealings with the said John Baillie and Patrick Graham; and as the ship which brought the goods had sailed, and there being no opportunity of shipping and sending them hack to Britain, the Committee further
Resolved, That such of the goods as are unsold, or can be collected from the purchasers, shall be stored with and kept by Mr. Zephaniah Turner, until, and twelve months after a general importation is agreed on by the Continental Congress; and that, where any of the goods which may have been sold cannot be collected, the said Graham shall deposite the amount of the sales thereof, in cash, to be kept with the goods stored; the whole at the risk of the owners. Published by order of the Committee:
JOHN GWINN, Clerk.

I haven't found anything on this Baillie fella yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for him.