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U. H. J.
Liber No. 35
May 4
p. 317
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proposed as a Step to your present attempt, you would not have the
Opportunity of mentioning it now: We could put you in Mind
that it is not long since the Lower House shewed no Disposition to
harrass these People.
We observed in our Message " that the first Settlement of this
Province was made by Roman Catholics who had been driven from
their native Country by the Severity of it's Laws, & that after the
Services these People had done in extending the Dominion of the
Crown and had been promised and allowed an Asylum here, an Act
of the Legislature which would have the Effect of banishing their
Posterity when it can't be pretended that it is necessary such an
extreme Measure should take Place, could not be defended upon
any Principle of Justice or Policy."
You have been pleased to remark upon this Passage of our Message
that you have not been able to discover any Thing in History or
otherwise to justify or countenance our Assertion that the Papists
were promised and allowed an Asylum here. " it may be so, but it
is not our Fault that you have not, and to be plain with you we
should have been restrained from telling you what you have been
pleased to acknowledge by the Apprehension of it's giving Offence,
however as you have desired to have this Matter explained to you
and we flatter ourselves it may have some Effect, we shall undertake
to do it in as full a Manner as the Shortness of the Time will admit.
This Province was granted by Charter to Cecilius Lord Baltimore
the 20:th of June 1633 : [sic; 1632] who was then a Roman Catholic,
the Charter recites that Lord Baltimore Patris inhaerens vestigiis
laudabile et pio Christianas Religionis pariter et Imperii nostri
Territorial dilitandi studio flagrans Licentiam suppluaverit &c "
The granting Clause begins thus " Sciatis igitur quod nos pium
et nobile Presatorum Baronum de Baltimore propositium et studium
Regis Favore prosequentes concedimus &c "
After the Charter was thus granted to Lord Baltimore who was
then a Roman Catholic his Lordship emitted his Proclamation to
encourage the Settlement of his Province promising therein among
other Things Liberty of Conscience and an equal Exercise of Re-
ligion to every Denomination of Christians who would transport
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p. 318
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themselves to and reside in his Province and that he would procure a
Law to be passed for that Purpose, afterwards, the first or second
Assembly that met after the first Colonists arrived here some Time
in the Year 1638 a perpetual Law passed in pursuance of his
Lordship's Promise, and indeed such a Law was easily obtained
from those who were the first Settlers, this Act was confirmed in
1640 : and again in 1650. By this Act it was Enacted " that what-
soever Person or Persons should upon any Occasion of Offence or
otherwise in a reproachful manner or any way declare call, or
denominate any Person or Persons, inhabiting or residing, trading,
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