498 Assembly Proceedings, April 5-22, 1720.

U.H.J.

the good of Maryland is most Conspicuous And as this Time
of our meeting seems agreeable to their Lordship's directions
so we must acknowledge it is not unsuitable to our private
Affairs, and therefore shall the more Cheerfully apply our
selves to the Dispatch of those Important Exigencies your
Excy is pleased to Recomend to us.
The Act for Ascertaining the tare & Gauge of Tob^o hh^ds &c.
procured by your Endeavours is so Essentiall to the Support
of Government Incouragement of Trade and Promotion of
the Comon good that it requires our thanks to Your Excy
and our Care for it's Continuance And we perswade ourselves
that the Experience his L^dship has had of the Equivalent in
that Law for his Quitt Rents and Alienation Fines will readily
Induce him to Assent to it notwithstanding the Endeavours
of Self Interested persons to the Contrary.

We think it Strange tho true that the Roman Catholicks
should yett Continue to Insinuate that they have a right to
Imploy Offices in this Government in Equall Degree with the
Protestants after what their Lordships and your Excy have
on Sev^tt Occasions been pleased to Declare against it, But
least they should fancy themselves better informed of their
Privileges than our Proprietary himself (who they must allow
to be well acquainted with them) we desire your Excy will be

p. 35

pleased to pursue the methods you have proposed of sending
for some of their Principals to make appear their Right if
any they have, w^ch that they may be the More Encouraged
to proceed to, we declare we will readily Joyn with your Excy
in doing them all the Justice that their Case Requires, Yett we
must farther declare that we know not of any right they have
which they do not now Enjoy, but if they slight this oppor-
tunity of makeing their right appear, as they have hitherto, all
others that have been Offered them, they must impute it to
themselves if we declare their Claim insupportable and take
the Liberty to say their Enjoying too great Indulgencies have
made them Troublesome
Your Excys Indefatigable Indeavours to Oppose these
uneasey People in their Unjust Pretentious and to Maintain
the Justice of our Conduct in relation to them as well as your
good Inclinations to Answer for us very Justly Engage our
Affections to your person and Character.
It is no wonder that your Excys Conduct is Vilifyed by
those whose practices your Authority is intended to restrain
your faithfull discharge of duty in the trust reposed in you,
must needs have a different Effect upon the minds of Contrary
parties, And we can truly affirm that according to the Strictest
Observations we are able to make, your Administration is