The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-06-10

ana VINO were stationed at the several ports
of entry of the Province. The frequent
evasion of these duties gave rise to much
i'll will between the Collectors and the peo-
pie. Lord Baltimore was charged with
having connived at these evasions, and
with obstructing the collection of the royal
revenue. His chief accusers were the Col
1ectors, who, being Crown officers, seemed
naturally to array themselves against him.
Although there was really no foundation
for this complaint, yet the King, who never
threw away chance to replenish his purse,
compelled the Proprietary to pay by way of
retribution large sum into the Exchequer.
/ l have no need to dwell upon this sub
.iect, and have referred to it only because it
explains the relation between Lord Balti-
more and Christopher Rousby, and has
therefore some connection with my story
Rousby was an enemy to the Proprietary;
and from letter preserved by Chalmers it
appears there was no love lost between
them. Lord Baltimore writes to the Earl
of Anglesey, the President of the Kings
Council, in 1851, az have already written
twice to your Lordship about Christopher
, Rousby, who desired might be removed
from his place of Collector of his Maiesty's
Customs, he having been great knave,
and disturber of the trade and peace of
the Province which letter, it seems, had
no effect,-as Christopher Rousby was con
tinued in his post. He was doubtless en-
boldened by the failure of this remon-
STRANGE against him to exhibit his i'll will
towards the Proprietary in more open and
more vexatious modes of annoyance.
All these embarrasSments threw a heavy
shadow over the latter years of Lord Balt-
more's life, and now drove him to the ne
cessity of making a visit to England for
the purpose of personal explanation and
defense before the King. He accordingly
took his departure in the month of June,
1854, intending to return in few months;
but tide of misfortune that now set in
upon him prevented that wish, and be
never saw Maryland again.
In about half year after Calvert's ar
rival in England, King Charles the Second
was gathered to his fathers, and his broth
CT, the Duke of York, worse man,
greater hypocrite, and more crafty despot,
reigned in his stead.
James the Second was Roman Catholic,
and Calvert, on that score alone, might
have expected some sympathy and favor:
he might, at least, have expected justice
But James was heartless and selfish The
Proprietary found nothing but cold neglect,
and contemplate jealousy of the prerog-
atives and power conferred by his chatter
James himself claimed to be a Proprietary
on this continent by virtue of extensive
royal grants, and was directly interested
with William Penn in defeating the claims
of the Baltimore family to the country
upon the Delaware; he was therefore, in
fact, the secret and prepossessed enemy of
Calvert. Instead of protection from the
Grown, Calvert found proceedings insti-
tuted in the Kings Bench to annul his
charter, which, but for the abrupt termina-
ton of this short, disgraceful reign in alb
dication and flight, would have been con-
summated under James's own direction.
The Revolution of 1858 brought up other
influences more hostile still to the Proprie.
tary; and the Province, which was always
sedulous to follow the fashions of London,
was not behindhand on this occasion, but
made, also, its revolution, in imitation of
the great one. The end of all was the
utter subversion of the Charter, and new
government Of Maryland under a royal
commission. How this was accomplished
our historians are not able to tell. From
1858 to 1862 is one of our dark intervals of
which l have spoken. 1t begins with
domestic revolution and ends with the ap-
pointment of a Royal Governor, and that
is pretty nearly all we know about it.
After this, there was no Proprietary domin-
ion in Maryland, until it was restored upon
the accession of George the First in MS,
when it reappears in the second Charles
Calvert, minor, the grandson of the late
Proprietary. This gentleman was the son
of Benedict Leonard Calvert, and was
educated in the Protestant faith, which his
father had adopted as more consonant with
the prosperity of the family and the hopes
of the Province.
Before Lord Baltimore took his depart
ure, he made all necessary arrangements
for the administration of the government
during his absence. The chief authority
he invested in his son Benedict Leonard, to
whom l referred just now,-at that time a
youth of twelve or fourteen years of age.
My old record contains the commission
issued on this occasion, which is of the
most stately and royal breadth of phrase,
and occupies paper enough to make deed
for the route of the Pacific Railroad. In
this document "our dearly beloved son
Benedict Leonard Calvert p" is ordained and
appointed to be Lieutenant General,
Chief Captain, Chief Governor and Com
mander, Chief Admiral both by sea and
land, of our Province of Maryland, and of
all our Islands, Territories, and Dominions
whatsoever, and of all and singular our
Castles, Forts, Fortresses, Notifications,
Munitions, Ships, and Navies in our said
Province, Islands, Territories, and Domin-
ions aforesaid"
l hope to be excused for the particularly
of my quotation of this young gentleman's
titles, which l have given at full length
only by way of demonstration of the mag
nficence of our old Palatine Province of
Maryland, and to excite in the present
generation a becoming pride at having
fallen heirs to such principality; albeit
Benedict Leonard's more recent successors
to these princely prerogatives may have
reason to complain of that relentless spirit
of democracy which has shorn them of so
many worshipful honors. But we republ-
cans are philosophical, and can make sacri-
fees with a good grace.
AS it was quite impossible for this young
Lieutenant General to 60 alone under such
staggering weight of dignities, the same
commission puts him in leading strings by |