158 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1738/9.

Lib. C. B

To His Excellency the Governor in Council
May it please Your Excellency
The Misfortune of having an Impediment in my Speech
makes me choose to give my Answer in Writing than other-
wise to M^r Smiths Complaint, wherein I shall be far from
denying the Truth or justifying my own Conduct, what is
mentioned in the Begining of the Complaint with Regard to
the Assault committed by my Negro on Thomas Norris's
Negro is very true, as it is that M^r Dulany wrote a kindly and
friendly Letter to me as mentioned, upon the Receipt of
which I immediately ordered the Negro to appear before M^r
Smith who I dont question discharged his Duty as a Magis-
trate

p. 23

I also acknowledge on the Complaint of Jerome Plummer
against some of my Negroes for stealing some Turkeys from
him, M^r Smith issued his Warrant, and that the Constable
came to my House & shewed it to me, upon which I told him
that the Negroes were not at One Quarter, and that I would
take Care they should appear before M^r Smith the Ensuing
Tuesday at the Church, where I understood a Vestry was held,
and that M^r Smith would be there as being Clerk of the Vestry
and accordingly I caused the Negroes to go thither, but M^r
Smith happened not to be there, and it was almost Night and
very cold and One of the Negroes barefoot, and the rest very
thinly clad, and therefore I ordered them home; I likewise
acknowledge I put the Warrant in my Pockett, but I declare it
was not with design to keep it, and that I intended to return it
to the Constable, but he went away unknown to me, and I sent
it him early next Morning by Virtue of which Warrant the same
Constable afterwards apprehended the Slaves and carryed
them before Mr. Smith, who ordered them to be corrected
according to Law.
This is really the Truth, and I protest I had not the least
Intention of contemning Authority, and that what I did was
not the Effect of any personal Prejudice or Disregard to M^r
Smith but entirely occasioned by Want of considering the
Thing, as I ought to have done, upon the whole I submit to
Your Excellencys Determination, and humbly hope for your
Pardon & Indulgence for what is past for which I hope my
future Conduct (which I intend shall be blameless and inoffen-
sive) will attone
Sam Chew

It appearing to this Board that the said Samuel Chew had
been guilty of a great Offence in the Obstruction of Justice,
It is therefore Ordered by this Board that the Attorney General