Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1739/40. 189

Present
His Excellency Samuel Ogle Esq^r Governor

Benjamin Tasker Esq^r | Col Charles Hammond
The honble Edmund Jenings Esq^r | Col Levin Gale

The following Order being read, was approved of, and
ordered to be sent to the Sheriff of Prince Georges County.
Whereas upon Consideration of the Act of Assembly Enti-
tuled A Supplementary Act to the Act Intituled An Act for
the more Effectual Punishment of Negroes and other Slaves
and for taking away the Benefit of Clergy from certain Offend-
ers and to An Act Entituled An Act to prevent the tumultu-
ous Meeting and other Irregularitys of Negroes and other
Slaves and directing the manner of Trying of Slaves it is
doubtful whether the Offenders can be try'd by Commission of
Oyer and Terminer or Goal Delivery and it appearing by the
Depositions of several Negroes taken before M^r John Hepburn
one of the Justices of Prince Georges County that a consid-
erable number of Slaves in that County had form'd a most
Wicked and Dangerous Conspiracy to destroy his Majestys
Subjects within this Province and to possess themselves of the
whole Country which may be attended with very Tragical
Consequences if not timely prevented And Whereas several
of the Conspirators must be committed to Prison and Remain
there until March Court or Assizes and that there is Reason
to apprehend that the numbers which must be so Committed
with the Assistance of their yet undiscovered Accomplices may

Lib. C. B.

attempt to break the Goal, It is therefore hereby ordered that
the Sheriff of the said County shall use all Proper Ways and
Means not only for preventing the escape of any Slave already
Committed or who shall be hereafter Committed and to Appre-
hend and secure all those whom he shall have Cause to Sus-
pect of endeavouring to Rescue the said Prisoners or any of
them and to that end and purpose to press such and so many
persons as shall be necessary to attend and Assist him for the
purposes aforesaid which persons are hereby required to Aid
and Assist the said Sheriff in the premises as they will answer
the Contrary at their Perill And that the several and Respec-
tive Magistrates in the said County upon Application of the
said Sheriff to them or any of them shall be Aiding and As-
sisting to him herein by Warning and Summoning such and
so many of the Inhabitants as may be proper and necessary
for the purposes aforesaid
The following Proclamation being read was approved of
and issued accordingly

p. 61