278 Assembly Proceedings, April 22-May 10, 1718.

L. H. J.

tion of our Proceedings in this present Sessions of Assembly.
Wee blush to Acq^t your L^dps that your friendly Endeavours
that way, have not met with the Regard that was due to soe
noble & Generous an Undertaking and wee must Intreat your
Lordships to believe that it is with regret and Very unwill-
ing [ly] that wee are forced to Charge our Selves with the
Defence of Such things as are Said to be Carped at already
and will in all probability become the Subject Matter of Com-
plaint.

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number

p. 106

The Roman Catholicks Ever since the Restoration of the
late L^d Baltemore to this Goverm^t have been Very Active and
busy in projecting Schemes for Introducing Papists into Offi-
ces, and from thence as we may reasonably Conjecture, had

they not been Prevented -would have Asserted their Pretended

Claim of Right To Share in the Publick Adm^rn of the Affairs
of Government.
But the Opposition they met withall in the prosecution of
this Designe and the frequent hints and notices of their being
Roman Catholicks given them by his Excy with designe to
Keep them Quiett put them upon getting Sundry Eminent
Lawyers Opinions Concerning the Suspension of an Act of
Assembly made Anno 1704 Entituld an Act to prevent the
growth of Popery within this Province which Suspension was
Continued and Confirmed by one other Act of Assembly made
Anno 1706 which was not to determine untill her late Maj^ty
Queen Anns Royall will and Pleasure Should be Signified
therefore.
The Gent of the Romish Communion believeing themselves
Secure in those Learned Councills Opinions upon Our Sus-
pending Act neither regarded the notices given them, nor did
they Observe Such Measures as a people under their Circum-
stances should have kept altho his Excy Oftentimes Informed
them that her Late Majestic Queen Ann's Royall will and
Pleasure had been Signified to him in her Royall Instructions
Eight Years after the passing that Suspended Act wherein the
papists were Expressly Excepted out of the Indulgence her
Maj^ty was graciously pleased to Extend unto all other Per-
swasions here.
Thus have the Roman Catholicks made use of An Act of
Indulgence which had no other motives Then a Charitable
Tenderness in regard to their Consciences and Manner of
Worship as a Barrier to all Manner of proceedings in Goverm^t
ag^t them and made Slight of the late Queens Instructions as
not Concerned therein altho your L^dp had given them in
Charge unto your Lievt^t Governour here. Now seeing that
5 the Roman Catholicks are the Open and Professed ffriends of