336 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1694 97.

     Lib. H. D.    By the House of Burgesses, Octobr 17th 1695.

       Whitehall

               The House taking into their serious consideration the sev

             erall Proposalls & Recommendations from his Excell the

             Govern” & his Mats honoble Councill relating to New York, do

             debate & Resolve thereon as followeth, Vizt That Whereas

             vpon Receipt of her late Mats Royall Commands altho this

             province was not worth the Money required either in banke

             or had any prospect of advancing the same; Yet rather than

             We would be any ways short therein, We attempted a thing

             of the greatest hazard by laying an Imposition of three pence

             p hogshead after the greatest part of the ships were loaden

             which was so much more than our neighbouring Colony of

             Virginia imposed by which means the Merchants trading here

             are disgusted & induced to leave this province & trade in

             Virginia & other neighbouring Colonies & carry their Goods

             thither, by which means Trade will of necessity decay & faile

         p. 257  here & thrive there, and that of course will induce all Men

             that are not fast Engaged here to leave this place & go there

             & thereby the province be depopulated & lye open to the

             heathen or to any other Enemy that think it worth their taking.

             After which put to the question in the House, if the Act for

             the Additionall Duty of 3d p hogshead on Tobacco exported

             shall be any further continued than this present year, and

             Resolved Unanimously that the same be no longer continued

             than till the Expiration of the sd Act.

               It is further considered by the House that this province is so

             scituated that the ifrontiers of it are the Road way by wch ffor

             raign Indians pass from the Norward to Virginia & other

             southern plantations; And We have severall Nations of Indians

             among Us which have dayly correspondence with fforraign

             Indians whose motions we are forced to observe so that we

             are obliged to maintain severall parties of men in constant pay,

             as well for the discovery of the fforraign Indians passing as

             others, by which means this province is at great charge, but

             have thereby discovered, from whence those fforraign Indians

             come, where they inhabite & their distance from Us, and are

             sadly made acquainted that they are nearer to this province by

             at least three days March than they are to New York, And

             We have just reason to believe when they come to know our

             Weakness and that We have no ffortifications or places of

             strength, nay as yet scarce Arms for our small train bands

             they will be much rather induced to Attack Us than New York.

               As to making vp the Quota of Money proposed, it is con

             sidered by the House that the greatest part of our substance

             consists of Cattell, hogs & Tobacco, And since it hath pleased

             God this last year by a hard Winter to cause such a mortality