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otherwise, to increase their Wealth by Traffic, to exercise their Func-
tions, and to propagate their dangerous Tenets with Impunity: That
such extraordinary Countenance should be given to Popery before
the Revolution, and indeed after, while the Proprietors themselves
were Papists, is not greatly to be wondered at; but we own it is Mat-
ter of Astonishment to us, that the known Enemies of our Consti-
tution should still meet with the same Indulgence, whilst we have
every Thing to fear from their open Attempts, or secret Machina-
tions. To confirm the Truth of the last Assertion, we will produce
such Testimony as will scarce be disputed with us, and that is an
Extract from a Proclamation of the late Governor Bladen in the
Year Seventeen Hundred and Forty-six, in the Words following:
" Whereas I have received certain Information that several Jesuits
and other Popish Priests, and their Emissaries, have presumed of
late, especially since the late unnatural Rebellion broke out in Scot-
land, to seduce and pervert many of his Majesty's Protestant Sub-
jects from their Religion, and to alienate their Affections from his
Majesty's Royal Person and Government, altho' such Practices are
High Treason, not only in the Priests and their Emissaries, who
shall seduce and pervert, but also in all those who shall be seduced and
perverted; I have herefore thought fit, with the Advice of his Lord-
ship's Council of State, to issue this my Proclamation, to charge all
Jesuits and other Popish Priests, and their Emissaries, to forbear
such traiterous Practices, and to assure such of them as shall dare
hereafter to offend, that they shall be prosecuted according to Law."
This Extract from the Proclamation will not only serve the Purpose
for which it is adduced, to prove the traiterous Practices of the
Jesuits and their Adherents, but it will likewise evince that they have
been treated with extraordinary Lenity and Tenderness. Another
Instance of the evil Practices of the Papists, or at least of the strong
Suspicions that were entertained of them, we shall produce, perhaps,
scarce less authentic than the former: In the Year Seventeen hun-
dred and sixteen, so generally were the Protestants persuaded that
Contributions were made by the Papists, and some of their Party
sent to England with a Design to prejudice the Protestant Govern-
ment and Interest in Maryland, that it was thought necessary to raise
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 48
April 8
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a Sum of Money by Subscription, to be remitted to Col. Blackstone,
the then Agent of the Province, in order to counteract and frustrate
their Designs. As this Subscription was promoted by several Gentle-
men of the Council, and others of the first Rank, some of whom are
still living, to them we appeal for the Truth of this Fact. Hence it
will appear, that the present Discontents of the People are not owing
to the Clamours of a few factious Men, as the Papists and their
Abettors have suggested, but to one uniform and continued Scheme
of the Papists themselves, either avowed or concealed as the Times
and Occasions required, to subvert the Protestant Interest. And we
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p. 219
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