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

Lib. C. B.
No. 20

p. S. After the Debate in Whitaker's Case was over he
shewed Letters of Orders as his Qualification, which ap-
peared to be only Deacon's Orders, and on this Circumstance,
and his Counsel declaring that on the Account of his defective
Qualification they had hazarded the Matter on their Argu-
ment of Presumption, it was strongly recommended to have
the Question again brought on upon the Suit of the Sheriff's
Bond, but the affair was given up by the Adversaries. The
Declaration of his Counsel was owing to his having produced
his Letters of Orders when they advised him against it and
the Contemptuous manner in which he treated them on the
Occasion. I have Reason to know that the Man Loved Litiga-
tion, and it is not improbable that what he shewed was with
the view of bringing on a Suit and that he might have the
proper Qualification to produce when brought to the Necessity
of doing it, and perhaps if not a Knowledge a Suspicion of this
deterred his Antagonists.

Sir
We are favoured (as you say,) with a Copy of M^r Dulany's
Opinion, relative to the dispute subsisting between Our Parish
and you, which Opinion we have had before us and maturely
considered, We shall, as we ever did, pay great Respect to M^r
Dulany as a Gentleman, and One eminent in the Law, yet we
presume, should his Opinion differ on this Occasion with other
Gentlemen of the Law, and also from our own Sentiments we
would hope it might not be esteemed Criminal in us, and
should we attempt to pursue the legal Methods for a Candid
and fair determination of a Matter of so much Importance to
us, we cannot suppose, that, under a Colour of Supporting the
Authority and Rights of his Lordship, the Supreme Magis-
trate would so much interfere by any Vigorous proceedings as
should in any manner impede or give the least Colour of affect-
ing the Current of Justice or divert the least Rivulet thereof.
Such a Doctrine must sound harsh in the Ear of every Free-
man, much more of those who esteem themselves loyal Sub-
jects of the British King, and acknowledge his Sovereignty,
and depend on him for their protection both Civil and Re-
ligious.
We can assure M^r Dulany, that we have no Intention, nor
would we designedly do any Act of Outrage, or any thing that
should tend to give Colour for any Suspicion thereof, or would
we want the Reins of Government wrested out of the Hands
of those, who by the Laws of the Land, are intrusted with
them, but at the same time, we would not, by a Servile Sub-
mission, Alienate Our Rights and Liberties, and tamely give