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TORIES ON THE EASTERN SHORE. 297
had now become the receptacle of deserters, escaped prisoners, and the
disaffected, who had been expelled from neighboring States. A large
number of these tories, thinking that the patriotic cause must soon succumb, had sent their wives and families to New York or Great Britain,
and remained here in the swamps hoping soon to return to their homes.
Many were under the protection of the British army or navy, and were active
by their exertions in arms, as well as by their councils and influence, in support of the British. A large number of the tories of Maryland had repaired
to Great Britain at a very early period, and among them many who had held
high stations in the civil government, as also great numbers of the established
clergy, who had become obnoxious from their early exertions in favor of his
majesty and the British government. The English government had, from
the very first, relied much on the number as well as the respectability of
these loyalists, whom she endeavored to encourage and to increase by every
means in her power. Until the defeat and capture of General Burgoyne and
his army at Saratoga, in October, 1777, the advantages had been much on the
side of the mother-country; but that event changed the aspect of affairs.
When Great Britain had, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, shown a fixed determination to support her authority by force of arms,
accompanied with conciliatory propositions, and a disposition " to revise the laws
by which the Americans might think themselves aggrieved;" the friends of
Great Britain, who were now called by the one party, loyalists, and tories by the
other, increased in number, and were joined, not only by many men of property
and abilities who had hitherto taken no part in the contest, but also by'many
who had resisted the mother-country at the first, and even by some of the
members of the Continental Congress itself. It cannot be denied that interest,
and an opinion of the issue of the contest, as well as principle, actuated a large
number of the tories in not sharing in the views of the majority of the patriots,
and they were therefore justified, to a great extent, in not supporting an
experiment revolutionary in its nature, and so doubtful in its issue.
Maryland had her share of loyalists, chief among whom was Eobert
Alexander, who was one of the first to excite the people to resist the
encroachments of the British crown. He was one of the "Sons of Liberty" in 1765; a member of the "Association for the Non-importation of
European Goods" in 1769; and "his sub-oratory in June, 1774, influenced
Baltimore County to adopt the resolves of Boston." He represented
Baltimore County in- the several provincial conventions from June, 1774,
to June, 1776, and during all this time was a warm supporter of the
popular cause. He served on nearly all the important committees
in the conventions, and in Baltimore Town. In 1775, he was secretary
of the Baltimore Committee of Observation, and a Western Shore member
of the Council of Safety. He was one of the "Associated Freemen
of Maryland," and on the 9th of December, 1775, was appointed a
deputy to the Continental Congress. While in congress he served on
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000330 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | TORIES ON THE EASTERN SHORE. 297 had now become the receptacle of deserters, escaped prisoners, and the disaffected, who had been expelled from neighboring States. A large number of these tories, thinking that the patriotic cause must soon succumb, had sent their wives and families to New York or Great Britain, and remained here in the swamps hoping soon to return to their homes. Many were under the protection of the British army or navy, and were active by their exertions in arms, as well as by their councils and influence, in support of the British. A large number of the tories of Maryland had repaired to Great Britain at a very early period, and among them many who had held high stations in the civil government, as also great numbers of the established clergy, who had become obnoxious from their early exertions in favor of his majesty and the British government. The English government had, from the very first, relied much on the number as well as the respectability of these loyalists, whom she endeavored to encourage and to increase by every means in her power. Until the defeat and capture of General Burgoyne and his army at Saratoga, in October, 1777, the advantages had been much on the side of the mother-country; but that event changed the aspect of affairs. When Great Britain had, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, shown a fixed determination to support her authority by force of arms, accompanied with conciliatory propositions, and a disposition " to revise the laws by which the Americans might think themselves aggrieved;" the friends of Great Britain, who were now called by the one party, loyalists, and tories by the other, increased in number, and were joined, not only by many men of property and abilities who had hitherto taken no part in the contest, but also by'many who had resisted the mother-country at the first, and even by some of the members of the Continental Congress itself. It cannot be denied that interest, and an opinion of the issue of the contest, as well as principle, actuated a large number of the tories in not sharing in the views of the majority of the patriots, and they were therefore justified, to a great extent, in not supporting an experiment revolutionary in its nature, and so doubtful in its issue. Maryland had her share of loyalists, chief among whom was Eobert Alexander, who was one of the first to excite the people to resist the encroachments of the British crown. He was one of the "Sons of Liberty" in 1765; a member of the "Association for the Non-importation of European Goods" in 1769; and "his sub-oratory in June, 1774, influenced Baltimore County to adopt the resolves of Boston." He represented Baltimore County in- the several provincial conventions from June, 1774, to June, 1776, and during all this time was a warm supporter of the popular cause. He served on nearly all the important committees in the conventions, and in Baltimore Town. In 1775, he was secretary of the Baltimore Committee of Observation, and a Western Shore member of the Council of Safety. He was one of the "Associated Freemen of Maryland," and on the 9th of December, 1775, was appointed a deputy to the Continental Congress. While in congress he served on |
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