480 Minutes of the Board of Revenue, 1768-1775.

Lib. No. 86

Patents upon them, the parties complying with all the Req-
uisites required by the Conditions of Plantations; It is in-
consistent with the Honour & Justice of the Proprietor to
refuse Grants to confirm the Titles of those who purchased
Lands lately, any more than to those who were Purchasers
formerly, under the same Conditions; it becomes neither you
nor me to confine the Proprietor's limits of the Province, the
Charter gives him to the Fortieth Degree of North Latitude,
then West until it intersects a Meridian from the first Foun-
tain of Patowmack, and for his Officers to confine him within
narrower bounds is unreasonable, especially as the late Pro-
prietor has been lately at the Expence of running a Line to the
head of the South Branch of that River & when the Virginians

p. 130

hear that the Proprietor's Officers in Maryland doubt of the
extention of his Limits, it will be an encouragement to them
to begin to throw Stones, which I never heard that they had
yet done, nor can I conceive that his Majesty, who is all
Justice, could think of making a Reserve by Proclamation of
Lands granted by his Royal Ancestors to any of his Subjects
much less to Sir George Calvert who was the Grantor's Fav-
ourite and faithful Minister. Therefore upon the whole, I
must in Justice to the People who purchased Warrants lately,
issue Patents to them, as to others under the same Circum-
stances. I shall lay your Letter before the Governor and the
Board of Revenue and if they think me wrong I shall submit
to their better Judgment, we all mean to promote the Pro-
prietor's Interest, we only have different sentiments as to the
means to be pursued for that purpose, I know your Zeal for
the common Cause, my endeavours shall not be wanting to
lend a helping Hand & am
Sir Y^rs&
G. Steuart
To the Hon: Dan^l of S^t Tho^s Jenifer Esq^r

May 9^th 1774
Sir
I am sorry that the request I made, in my Letter of the 20^th
Ult⁰ should be thought improper, or wrong. It is true, that
you & M^r Calvert gave me a private intimation of the Gov-
ernor's Intention, and both pronounced the measure to be

p. 131

wrong, and at the same time you must Remember that you &
M^r Calvert agreed, the Agent could not refuse Warrant to
any Person that applied for it, I thought so too, and believe if
I had done it, it would have been the first Instance, Locations
not being made in my Office. How far it became your Duty,
to issue Warrants directing the Surveyor to survey Lands to
the westward of Fort Cumberland, I cannot pretend to dispute