656 Assembly Proceedings, May 1-June 4, 1744.

Calvert
Paper 295 1/2
P. 97

Additional orders & Instructions to our Trusty & well Beloved
Tho: Bladen Esq^r our Lieutenant Governour of our Province of
Maryland.
An nothing Can be more Certain, then that a due weight and au-
thority is necessary in all Governments.
I must require you to be very carefull not to give Y^r Assent to any
Law, or do any other Act, that may in Any Manner weaken the
Power & Authority of the Government in Maryland, the due Sup-
port of which is as necessary for the Welfare & Prosperity of the

people, as for my own particular Interest, whatever Mistaken or
popular notions may be advanced on this Head
And particularly you must not Allow any Alterations to be made
in the Assize Law, passed by the Late Governour, or to the Lessen-
ing of the Power of the Judges, nor must you pass Even that Law,
unless the Lower house passes the Bill for 3 pence p hh^d for Armes
& Ammunition in the usuall Manner.
And whereas the Upper house, for some time past before Y^r Ar-
rival in Maryland, thought it Reasonable to withold several other
Bills till the bill for 3 pence p^r hh^d for armes &c should pass in the
Lower House, you are Required for the future not to pass any of the
said Bills w^th out that for Armes &c in the usual Manner, that so
necessary a Bill for the Safety & defence of the Province, & the Oth-
ers desired by the Lower house may go hand in hand as is usually

p. 98

Practiced in the other Governments of America, & w^ch I find by the
proceedings of Assembly was all that the Lower house themselves
pretended to Contend for in the Late Governors time.
And tho' I am very far from desireing any unjust Article to be
inserted or contended for in the Levy Bill Yet I must require you in
the most special manner not Suffer any of the Just fees & Perquisites
of the Officers, or any of the necessary Expences of the Govern^r, par-
ticularly in Relation to the Indians, to be disallowed of by the lower
house, but that you absolutely refuse to pass the said Bill, unless fair
& equal Justice be done to all Persons without Distinction.
And you are Likewise to take Care that in all the Penal parts of
Laws, the Fines be Applyed to the Support of Government as usual
As to my private Property, w^ch is so much under Y^r Care both as
Governour & Chancelor I desire nothing but Equal Justice w^th my
Tenants in all Respects, and that, as you will always have it in Y^r
View to do Justice to them, You may have the same regard to my
Just Rights & Propertys & be perticularly carefull that in all Acts
relateing to Land Officers, there be nothing inserted in them to my
Prejudice, & I hope you will always take Care to Consult w^th my
Agent in Every thing relateing to my Interest, & have a due Regard
to his Just Representations
And If any thing of Very Great Consequence Comes under Y^r
Consideration, that you suspend doing anything therein, till you have
Aquainted me w^th it & received by Directions.