Papers Relating to Affairs in Maryland, 1701—14. 263

     his haunts. And what is worse out of a foolish Conceipt of P. K. 0.

     his being a Stout Fellow, and Country borne, the Natives being

     now growne up, and most of them in Offices, are very back

     ward, if not altogether unwilling to bring him in, could they

     conveniently meete with him.

      During the Session one Mr Joseph Hill (Country borne) &

     a Member of the House of Delegates, was by that House ex

     pell'd the Assembly, for adhering to, assisting; & corespond

     ing with the Said Clarke; nothwithstanding which I am doubt-

     full

       Wee shall allways want Iurys to do her Matyc comon Justice

     on the Countrye borne (as they call ‘em) and am apt to be

     lieve the reason is, that the Assembly Anno 1694 (under a

     Specious pretence of the Encouragement of Learning, to

     which the Countrye has not Yet made any one further Stepp),

     gained the then Governour & Councills Assent to An Act for

     the Encouragement of Learning & Advancement of the

     Natives of this Province, By which her Matys English Subjects

     are debarred from holding any Office of Trust or profitt with

     in this province, (not being imediately a Patent Office) untill

     they have actually made this Countrye theire place of Residence

     during the full terme of three Years: And hence it is that no

     Ingenious Men capable of Serving her Matye or the Province will

     come here to Starve So long a Terme;—Which if not remedyed

     by her Matys Disassent to that Law, I feare will be of Fatall &

     pernicious Consequence to Maryland; For Notwthstanding the

     Act of Assembly made in 1694 For the Erecting of Free-

     Schools, there is not yet So much as one Graffiar Schoolein the

     whole province; And Yet the Assembly & other Courts of

     Justice For the most parte are composed of, & the Government

     on all Occasions is necessitated to comissionate, the Natives,

     tho' many times very ignorant & unfitt for the Offices and

     Trusts this Act of Assembly devolves upon them, which is

     only a particular Misfortune to Maryland. No Such Law or

     practice being in any other of her Matys Plantations where all

     her Subjects Stand upon the Levell.

       Severall Complaints being made agt the Lord Proprietarys

     Officers for Granting & Measuring of Lands, Upon Examin

     ation It was found that his Lordps Surveyors Genll Farm'd

     out their Offices in the Severall Countys to their Deputys

     (who are Generally unskilfull and indigent persons) at certaine

     large Sumes or Rents; for which they tooke their obligations

     whether the just Fees and perquisites from the Said Deputys

     accustom'd to be reserv'd to the Said Surveyors Genll

     amounted thereto or not, which occasioned the said Deputys

     the better to raise the Said Sumes and Rents, to use many

     Tricks in the Execution of their Offices; Sometymes neglecting