316 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1744.

Lib. C. B.

pendency of Government on the People might be to their
unwarrantable Designs & Proceedings, began so long ago, as
in the year 1738, with their Attempts, to deprive this Govern-
ment of the Support settled by a Law made forty years ago
for that purpose by Questioning the Validity of it, and also to
render all the Officers of Justice subservient to their Will &
Pleasure by denying the Right and Authority of ascertaining
the Officers fees — legally vested in the Proprietary of this
Province by the Royal Charter granted by King Charles the
first: These and several Other less material Points were laid
as the Ground Work of the Uneasiness intended to be raised
for disturbing the Peace and Safety of this Part of Your
Majestys Dominions, and in order to furnish themselves with
Money for their unreasonable purposes, they framed a Bill for
raising a considerable Sum to be at their own Disposition
under Pretence of enabling them to lay before your Majesty
their several intended Aggrievances, but which Bill was intro-
ductive of such mischievous Consequences to this Govern-
ment in particular and Every other in general in point of
Precedent, that the Upper House of Assembly was obliged to
reject the same for the many unanswerable Reasons then
given: This Attempt failing, the next step they took, was, by
vilifying the Government and inflaming the People to procure
Subscriptions for several Sums of Money in Order as was
pretended to carry their Complaints before your Majesty
However pernicious This Method of Proceeding might be

p. 219

to the Order and good Rule of Government and Society in
General, yet This Government was so thoroughly convinced
of the Unreasonableness of their Clamours, and at the same
time so desirous of being directed by your Majestys Wisdom
and Justice, that although their Designs could not be counte-
nanced by a Legislative Concurrence, yet no Interruption was
given by the Government in their Collections of Money by
Virtue of such Subscriptions, since It was hoped, they had
nothing else in View but to prepare and forward as soon as
might be their affected Complaints for your Maj^tys Determina-
tion; And had this been their only Aim, This Province might
have been quiet and happy before this Time in a dutiful Acqui-
escence and Submission to the Royal Commands
But It is with the Utmost Reluctance and Concern, that We
now declare Our Apprehensions that their Councils have some
other Tendency than the Quiet and Security of this Your
Majestys Dominions. And We most humbly presume Our-
selves well warranted in these Suspicions by their continual
Behaviour ever since the year 1738, by their Assuming to
themselves a Power of ascertaining the fees of the Officers of
the Courts of Justice by their own Authority, and by the little