The Lower House, 583

effects due to His Majesty in this province, than as a judge of
Equity, and for my Conscience I am Answerable to my God
alone, and def ye the most Invidious of my Enemys to make out
either Partiality or Corrupcon against me and Surely I should
have made my Court with a very Illl Grace to so just and good
a King, as his Majestye is, If I Should have given up the
property of his Subjects, meerly because his Name was made
use of, by those imployed under him.
This was one cause why I gave up the Seals But what more
Immediately obliged me to that Resignation is herewith In-
closed, ffor when I found I could no longer maintain the
Honour and Dignity of my Station as Chancellor I voluntarily
and Chearfully gave up my Interest that I might preserve my
Integrity which no power on Earth can remove from me.
Jo. Hart.
My Lord.
We have the Honour of your Lordships Letter of the 9^th
of September last Transmitting to us the address that had
been presented to the Lord Baltimore and to your Lordship
by the Upper and Lower Houses of the Generall Assembly of
Maryland, wherein Maurice Birchfield Esq^r Surveyor Gen-
erall of the Southern Continent of America is Represented to
have put Severall hardships on the Inhabitants of Maryland
by the manner of his Proceedings against Severall persons,
who were debtors to Merchants that had fail'd Considerably
Indebted to his Majesty for the dutys on Tobacco in this part.
We haveing Examined into His Conduct in those matters do
not find the said Birchfield has done any more than his duty,
and we take this Oppertunity to acquaint your Lordshipp that
it appears to us by Severall Instances, that his Majesties Ser-
vice has Suffered by the Obstruction the said Birchfield has
met with from Col Hart Lieut. Governor of Maryland; we
therefore Desire that your Lordship will be pleasd to direct
the said Lieutenant Governor not to Obstruct his Majesty's

L. H. J.

Service under our Management, But that he will be Assisting
to the Officers of the Customs in His Government, as by Law
he is required to do, in the due performance of their Dutys
as well in putting the Laws in Execution against Illegall
Trade, as for Recovering the money and effects due to his
Majesty in that Province.
We are my Lord
Custom House Your Lordships
13^th Dec^r 1718 Most humble Servants
Walter Young
I: Pulteney
Directed T. Walker
To the R^l Honble the Lord Guilford

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