Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1761-1769. 197

signed by sundry Inhabitants of Baltimore County complain-
ing of your extorting various illegal and oppressive Fees for
Services performed by you as Magistrates, and that they will
be glad you will take proper Measures to acquit yourselves of
the Imputations laid to your Charge. You may have Copies
of the Petitions upon an Application to me for that purpose.
To I am &c.
The Worshipful Mess" Ruxton Gay, Upton Scott Cl: Con.
Benjamin Rogers, William Asquith,
Samuel Owings, and Rich^d Richards

Read the Conviction of Negro George Slave of a certain
Joseph Duvall of Prince Georges County and also the two
following Letters relative thereto.
March 24^th 1767.
May it please your Excellency
Negro George Slave of Joseph Duvall of this County was
indicted before Us by the Grand Jury, for breaking open the
Meat House of William Waters Jun^r and Stealing from thence
a certain Quantity of Bacon and being arraigned the fourth
Tuesday of March Instant was on a fair and legal Tryal found
Guilty by the Petit Jury of the offence charged against him,
he pleaded not Guilty and persisted to the last in his innocence.
The only Witness against him was one of the Magistrates
of the County before whom he was first carried and who
Swore upon the Tryal that the Negro confessed the fact and
produced his Confession to that purport, and the owner of the
Bacon who Swore that the House was well secured and that
he was present and heard him Confess his Guilt before the
Magistrate.
The Negro by his Master's Account is valuable and it
Seems has Supported a Tolerable good Character till this
matter happened however we Submit the whole to your Ex-
cellency
and are
Your Excellency's most Obed^t very humble Servants
Joshua Beall Alex^r Symmer
David Crauford Jos: Sprigg.

Prince Georges County 5^th April 1767.
May it please your Excellency
I am informed by M^r Joseph Duvall that he hath made an
Application to you to Pardon a negro of his who was Con-
victed at our last County Court of breaking my Meat House
and taking from thence a large Quantity of Bacon he tells me
that as I am the Person injured your Excellency requires my

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.