American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-02-03
MR.. BROWNING'S CLAIM.


The report of the Committee of Grievances and
Courts of Justce, recommending the employment
Of counsel to contest the claims Of the representa-
tive of Lord Baltimore has been adopted. The
following lucid statement Of the nature OF these
claims, for which suits have been brought in the
United States courts, has been handed Tor pubca-
lion. Bali. Pat.
From the .Mnrytand Republican
The claims Of MIR Browning against The Landhold
ers oil Maryland, for qutrens due to the heirs oil
Lord Baltmore.
The Calvert families were the Lord propretors
of Mary land from the time the charter was granted
in the year 1852, until the revolution Of the year
l776.
The lands were granted in quantities. pretty much
at the option of the taker up, the grant patent
always reserved rent Commonly called quit rent
the OH shillngs sterling, about SO cents. per
hundred acres Lord Baltimore usually had re
ceiver Of rents in each county they regularly
paid halt yearly, or annually Il may be assumed as
TACT that they were paid till the commencement oil
the Revolutionary war say to the year l775 inclusive.
1t is certainly question Of public eoncern.-The
Average OF I4andholders in Marylan taking great
and small, If MIR. Brownngs claim is legal one,
which the supreme Court OF the U. States is about
70 decide, would not have more than from 20 to 80
dollars pay hence it cannot be expected that any
ind vidual Landbuder would employ counsel in such
a case, when evet reasonable fee would be SiIty
times more than can be claimed of him And that
counsel should be employed by the State to defend
so important an interest," affecting the property Of
nearly all the landholders in it, would hardly be de.
MED by one understanding the situation OF the case
before the Supreme Court.
In the year 1880, the Legislature of Maryland, a.
polished the quitents from the 4th OF July, 1776.
Mr.. Browning however, as the heir at law OF
Charles Lord Baltimore, claims The rents from the
year 177l under an allegation that they were not
paid after that year. Hence he claims about nine
years rent from the present andhoders in Mary
land, all lands granted prior to the year 1776.-
Lord Bamores revenues were estimated at be
tween Is and II thousand pounds per annum, a.
bout Thirty six thousand dollars So that if he sue
ceeds in recovering nine years rent he will recover
between three and four hundi ed thousand dOtlo's
of the tondholders Of maryland. He claims it a
debt due him under the treaty of 1898.
This claim is relened in part, by the payment OF
quit rents TO MIR. Hartford, from the time OF the
death Of Frederick Lord Baltimore, up to the 4th
\ Jolly, 1776. Frederick Lord Baltimore devised the
province Of Maryland to Mr.. Hartford, an illegitimae
son. The province entaited by the will OF
Charles Lord Baltimore on his son Frederick and
hence. Mr.. Browning contends that Frederick Lord
Baltimore had right to devise it to Mr.. Hartford,
1 the entail having never been locked.
! Mrs. Eden, wife of Governor Eden, and Mrs
Browning, mother OF the plaintiff FLED bill in the
chancery of England, in the year 1879, against
Mr.. Hartford, to the province, which contin.
ued there until the year 1881 when the controversy
seems to have been settled by an act of Parliament,
passed in the year 1881, settling the province on Mr.
Hartford conditionally % his paying certain sums
of money to Mrs. Browning and Mrs. Eden, which
was devised to them by the will Of their brother.
Frederick Lord Baltimore-and ALSO other sums
contracted to be paid under the authority of this act
Of Parliament. After the passage of this act the
chancery suit was dismissed Whether this act OF
Parliament makes a final or only conditional settle.
meDt between Mr. Hartford and The heirs of Lord
Baltimore, can only be decided in due course of
law.
A fire Engine Company of Boston drew five thousand
dollar prize in the Rhode Island State Lottery recently
/ drawn.
Mount Hollb On J. Jan. IS.
Mss Casn;ngdam's Nuderer .4ean.-A man was taken
Monday last, by two gentlemen of this town; in the
neigbnrhuod of Bass River and confined in Jail the
evening Strong suspicious are entertained that he
is the murderer of Miss Cunningham