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L.H.J.
Liber No. 48
April 24
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even in material or considerable Circumstances, I will not Triumph ;
That I neither have done nor desire to do over any but our King's
or Country's Enemies and I persuade myself you will never come
under that Denomination.
I now proceed to make a Remark or two on the explicit and exten-
sive Disquisition, by you entered upon, to shew that the Evil you
complained of is very inveterate, and hath long called for Redress.
It will not be disputed, that from the first Settlement of the Prov-
ince down to the Revolution, Offices of Profit and Trust were some
Times conferred on Persons of the Romish Faith, and some Times
on Gentlemen of a different Persuasion; and I also agree with you,
that, considering the Times, and the general Toleration here in those
Days allowed, it is not greatly to be wondered at. However, it will,
on Enquiry, be found, that whether the Administration of Public
Affairs was in the Hands of Protestants or Papists, or both indif-
ferently, when their Country was in Danger from an Invasion,
Europeans or Savages, they exerted themselves unanimously in op-
posing the common Enemy, and as none thought himself, in those
instant Days of the Colony, more remote than another from Danger,
they generously hastened to each other's Assistance; and they, who
did not expose their Persons, never refused or scrupled to make such
Satisfaction and Allowance to those who did, and who, in Obedience
to the Laws, and their superior Officers Commands, were obliged to
do so, as was reasonable and adequate to their respective Services.
But, during this Period, the Priests were permitted to accept or pur-
chase Landed Estates, which they were allowed to hold after the
Revolution, when the Government of this Province was immediately
in the Crown, and were not compelled to relinquish or resign even
when his late Majesty was pleased to restore it to the present Lord
Proprietary's Honourable Father, the late Lord Baltimore: Who
was to blame, and how it happened, that these People have, at Times,
been suffered to enlarge their Possessions by Purchase or Donation,
the Journals of the Assembly-Proceedings, at such Times, will
inform you: At this Season, I hope no Branch of the Legislature
would be averse to taking proper Measures to prevent it. In 1716,
you say, many Gentlemen were so strongly persuaded, that the Pap-
ists were then taking Steps to prejudice the Protestant Government
and Religion in Maryland, that they raised a Sum of Money by Sub-
scription to encourage Col. Blackiston to counteract and frustrate
such their Designs; which, I conclude, Col. Blackiston effectually
did, as I find the Assembly, in an Act that was passed soon after,
expressed their Sentiments in these Words: This present General
Assembly are fully sensible how deeply they are engaged to his Lord-
ship the Right Honourable the Proprietary, for his so generous and
ready Compliance with the most important of our late humble
Requests, in committing the Care of all his Public and Private
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