of the Council of Maryland, 1778-1779. 251

have remitted and restored and do by these Presents remit
and restore the said Sloop Friendship her Tackle Apparel and
Furniture and also the said Flour Wheat and Bread to the
former Owners thereof respectively On Condition that they
pay and satisfy all Lawful costs and expences incurred on the
Prosecution of the said Vessel and her Cargoe, in the said
Court of Admiralty to be ascertained or adjudged by the judge
of the same Court. Given at Annapolis under the Great Seal
of the said State this twenty third Day of November in the
Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy
eight

C. B.

[Council to J. Strawbridge.]

In Council Annapolis 23^d Nov^r 1778.
Sir.
Inclosed you receive a Copy of the Act for the Relief of
sundry of the Inhabitants of this State, by which you will see
that several Persons mentioned in it are excused from paying
any Assessment heretofore imposed on the inhabitants of this
State and are to have a Return of what may already have
been collected from them and that the Governor and Council
are impowered in Similar Cases to give the like Relief by
making an Allowance in the present or any future Assessment,
but those who have not taken and subscribed the Oath or
Affirmation of Fidelity and Support to this State as directed
by the Act for the better security of the Government are ex-

C. C.

p. 204

cepted from the Relief to be given by the Governor and Coun-
cil. We also inclose you a List of sundry People who have
petitioned to be relieved but we are not furnished with a pro-
per Evidence of their being " compelled by the Enemy to leave
their Habitations and that they were thereby rendered incapa-
ble to carry on their Business or Occupations" and also of
their having taken the Oath of Fidelity according to Law.
We wish to give the intended Relief where due, and to avoid
any Imposition and therefore, we request you will make known
to those who desire our Order, that we except Affidavits to be
transmitted to us, proving the Fact of their having been com-
pelled by the Enemy to leave their Habitations and that they
were thereby rendered incapable to carry on their Business or
Occupations and for how long, and that if the Fact was so
their Property was taken away, destroyed or damaged or their
Crops or Fences injured and also a Certificate from the Jus-
tice who administered it or the County Clerk that the Person
took and subscribed the Oath or Affirmation according to the
Act.
In many Instances you may know that those who are charged

p. 205