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Lib. M.
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County, and by Report from several other People, that many
the Inhabitants of this Province have met in several Places
thereof in a tumultuous manner and cut up Tobacco Plants
growing on many Plantations without Leave of the Owners
of the said Plantations, and desires their Advice what is
necessary to be done relating thereto, who are of Opinion
that Proclamations ought to issue immediately promising a
Reward therein of fifty Pounds to any Person who shall dis-
cover any of the Principal Offenders, so as they be convicted
thereof by due Course of Law; which Proclamation being
prepared, is read & agreed to by this Board, and ordered to
issue accordingly
Maryland ss.
By His Excellency Samuel Ogle Esqr Governor & Com-
mander in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland.
Whereas I have received certain Information that many
ignorant and unwary People have met in a riotous manner in
several Parts of Prince Georges County and cut up the To-
bacco Plants growing on the Plantations of great Numbers
of the Inhabitants of that County and threatened to carry on
the like violent and unwarrantable Practices in other Parts of
the Province in open Violation of the Laws of their Country
and to the Disturbance of the Publick Peace which unlawful
Proceedings have very probably been fomented & carryed on
by the Artifices of a few evil minded People under pretence
of the Publick Good (which is the proper Care of the Legis-
lature and Government, and cannot be attained by popular
Tumults) in hopes to accomplish Designs they dare not own
unless they can delude the unwary Multitude and involve
them in so much Guilt as may render them desperate, other-
wise a People remarkable for their peaceable behaviour and
Disposition could not have been prevailed to do such Acts
of Violence as may be ruinous to many families & from which
the Publick or any particular Person cannot possibly derive
any Advantage To the End therefore that such unlawful
Practices may be suppressed, the peaceable Subject secured
in the Enjoyment of his Property, the misled People unde-
ceived, and the fomentors and Authors of the Publick Dis-
turbances duely punished I have thought fit with the Advice
of his Lordships Council of State to issue this my Proclama-
tion, forbidding all Riots Routs and unlawful Assemblys and
strictly charging all his Lordships Officrs Civil and Military to
exert their Authority in suppressing and apprehending all
Rioters Routers or Other Disturbers of the Publick Peace,
and more Especially charging and commanding the several
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