The Upper House. 491

For when I found I could no Longer Maintain the Honour &
Dignity of my Station as Chancellor I voluntarily & chear-
fully gave up my Interest that I might Preserve my Integrity
which no Power on Earth can remove from me
Jo: Hart

U. H. J.

My Lord.

We had the Honour of your Lordship's Letter of the 9^th
Septem^r last transmitting to us the Address that had been
psented to the Lord Baltemore and to your Lordship by the
Upper and Lower Houses of the Generall Assembly of Mary-
land wherein Maurice Birchfield Esq^r Surveyor Gen^l of the
Southern Continent of America is represented to have putt
sev^ll hardships on the Inhabitants of Maryland by the manner
of his Proceeding against the sev^ll Persons who were Debtors
to Merchants that had failed Considerably Indebted to his
Majesty for the Duties on Tob^o in this Port. We having
Examined into his Conduct in those matters do not find the
said Birchfield has done any more than his Duty, and we take
this Opportunity to acquaint your Lordship that it appears
to us by sev^ll Instances that his Majestys Service has suffer 'd
by the Obstruction the said Birchfield has mett from Col Hart
Liev^t Governour of Maryland. We therefore Desire that
your Lordship will be pleased to Direct the said L^t Governour
not to Obstruct his Majesty's Service under our Manage-
ment, But that he will be Assisting to the Officers of the
Customs in his Government as by Law he is requir'd to do in
the due p formance of their Duties as well in putting the Laws
in Execution ag^t Illegal Trade as for recovering the mony &
Effects due to his Majesty in that Province
We are, my Lord, your Lordship's
most Hble Serv^ts
Walter Yonge

p. 24

Custom House T Pulteney
13^th decem^r 1718 T. Walker
Directed to the R^t Honble the Lord Guilford

Charles Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of
Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltimore And the
Right Honble Francis Lord Guilford his Guardian To John
Hart Esq^r our L^t Governour and Keeper of the Great Scale
of the said Province of Maryland And in his Absence to our
Keeper of the Great Scale of the Province for the time being
Whereas Thomas Macnemara Esq^r by an Order made in
the Court of Chancery the 10^th day of Octob^r One Thousand
Seven hundred and Seventeen Stands Suspended from his

P. 25