The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-07-01
A Legend of Maryland.
Continued from first page.

Continued from first page.
shore, he affected to believe that they had
some concealed force lying in wait to seize
the pinnace and it's crew, and so ordered
them back on board, but after a short de-
tention, thought better Of it, and suffered
them again to depart.
The contumacy of the captain, and the
declaration of his purpose to carry away
Talbot out of the jurisdiction of the Pro-
vince within which the crime was COM
mitted, and to deliver him to the Governor
of Virginia, was a grave assault upon the
dignity of the government and gross con-
tempt of the public authorities, which re-
quired the notice of Council. A meeting
of this body was therefore held on the
Patuxent, at Rich Neck, on the morning
of the 4th of November. | find that five
members were present on that occasion.
Besides Colonel Darnall and Major Sewall,
there were Counsellor Taller and Colonies
Digges and Burgess. Here the matter was
debated and ended in feeble resolve
that, if this Captain Allen should persist
in his contumacy and take Talbot to Nir-
ginia, the Council should Immediately de-
maud of Lord Etfingham his redelivery
into this Province. Alas, they could only
scold! This resolution. was all they could
oppose to the bullying captain and the
guns of the troublesome little Quaker.
Allen, after hectoring awhile in this
fashion, and raising the wrath of the Col
onels of the Council until they were red in
the cheeks, defiantly took his departure,
carrying with him his prisoner, in spite of
the vehement Indignation Of the liegemen
of the Province.
We may imagine the valorous anger of
our little metropolis at this act or crime of
lese-maiesty. can see the group of angry
burghers, collected on the porch of Cor
deals tavern, in a fume as they listen to
Master John Llewellin's account of what
had taken place-Llewelln himself as pep
perry as his namesake when he made An
cient Pistol eat his leek; and | fancy | can
hear Alderman Van Swearingen's choleric
explosion against Lord bingham, suppos-
ing his Lordship should presume to slight
the order of the Council in respect to Tai
bots return.
But these fervors were too violent to last.
Christopher Rousby was duly deposited
under the green sward upon the margin of
Harper's Creek, where found him safe, if
not sound, more than hundred and fifty
years afterwards. The metropolis grad
ually ceased to boil, and slowly fell to its
usual temperature of repose, and no more
BILE captain. Talbot, upon being trans
confined in the Jail of Gloucester county,
in the old town of Gloucester, on the north
ern bank of York River.
The Council now opened their CORE
spondence with Lord Etfingham, demand
ing the surrender of their late colleague.
On their part, it was marked by deferen
tial respect, which, it is evident they did
not feel, and which seems to denote a timid
conviction of the favor of Virginia and the
disgrace of Maryland in the personal feel
ings of the King. 1t is manifest they were
afraid of giving offense to the lordly gov
ernor of the neighboring Province. On
the part of Lord bingham, the CORE
spondence is cavalier arrogant, and per-
emptory.
The Council wrote deploringly to his
Lordship. They ''pray ''-as they phrase
it-"in humble, civil, and obliging terms,
to have the prisoner safely returned to this
government" They add" Your Excel
lency's great wisdom, prudence, and integ
rity, as well as neighborly affection and
kindness for this Province, manifested and
expressed, will, we doubt not spare us the
labor of straining for arguments to move
your Excellency's consideration to this our
so Just and reasonable demand" Poor
Colonel Darnall, Poor Colonel Digges, and
the rest of you Colonies and Major-to
write such whining hypocrisy as this!-
George Talbot would not have written to
Lord bingham in such phrase, if one of
you had been unlawfully transported to his
prison and Talbot were your pleader!
The nobleman to whom this servile Ian
guage was addressed was hateful despot,
who stands marked in the history of Nir-
ginia for his oppressive administration, his
arrogance, and his faithlessness.
To give this beseeching letter more sig
nificance and the tiattery it contained more
point, it was committed to the charge to
two gentlemen who were commissioned to
deliver it in person to his Lordship. These
were Mr.. Clement Hill and Mr.. Anthony
Underwood.
Etfingham'S answer was cool, short, and
admontory. The essence of it is in these
words: GIVE do not think it warrantable
to comply with your desires, but shall de-
tain Talbot prisoner until his Majesty S
particular commands be known therein"
A postscript is added of this import: "
recommend to your consideration, that you
take care, as far as in you lies, that, in the
matter of the Customs, his Majesty receive
no further detriment by this unfortunate
accident"
One almost reioices to read such an an
swer to the fulsome language which drew
it out. This correspondence runs through
several such epistles. The Council COM
plain of the rudeness and coarse behavior
of Captain Allen, and particularly of his
traducing Lord Baltimore's government
and attempting to excite the people against
it. Lord bingham processes to dsbelieve
such charges against san officer who has
so long served his King with fidelity and
who could not know what was to due his
superiors."
Occasionally this same faithful officer,
Captain Allen himself, reappears upon the
stage. We catch him at a gentleman's
house in Virginia, boasting over his cups
for he seems to have paid habitual tr-
butte to bowl of punch-that he will
break up the government of Maryland, and
annex this poor little Province of ours to
Virginia: fact worth notice just now, as
it makes it clear that annexation is not the
new idea of the nineteenth century, but
lived in very muddy brains long time ago.
now quit this correspondence to look after
n bit of romance in a secret adventure.
fro pE CoNTTNuEn