The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-02-16
Historical Researches that QuiIp Made
US Bohemian.
CHAPTER XVI.

MS warm hearted. courageous anu lii-
petuous Irishman, about whom SO much
has been written and of whom SO little is
known, was the cousin of the second Lord
Baltimore, and is supposed to have been
relative of that Infamous Dick Talbot, who
was his contemporary and Of whom Lord
Macaulay draws such a revolving picture in
his history of England. 1t is probable they
were both from the same part of Ireland,
and so far as buster and devil me care
courage was concerned, they appear to
have been much alike. However, no skill
full thinner, like Macaulay, has drawn the
portrait of George, and probably there is
not sufficient data extant to enable any one
to accomplish It successfully if they had
the ability to execut, or disposition TO at
tempt the task. While here appears to
have been many traits in the chafaclGs OF
these two men that were common to each
of them, the preponderance of virtue APP
pears to have been in favor of George, for,
! while Lick was contented to remain in
England and play the sycophant to a cor
rupt and imbecile monarch, whose want Of
| manhood alone prevented him from being
the tyrant that his imperious disposition
and supersttiouS education led him to
| think his duty and eternal happiness de-
manded he should be, George chose the
more manly occupation Of planting colony
in the wilderness that then skirted the
wild and romantic Susquehanna.
George Talbot is first mentioned in the
records of the council for the year 1850, in
which year lie obtained his first patent for
Susquehanna Manor. AT this time, and
for many years before, the unsettled bound
airy of Maryland had been source of vexa
ton and annoyance to Lord Baltimore, and
no doubt he flattered himself that Talbot
was just the man to extend his dominion
and sustain his authority over the territory
in dispute. Had Talbot been less fiery and
impetuous he would probably have been
more successful; as it was, his zeal in be-
half of his illustrious cousin defeated the
object be had in view; indeed it is thought
that an unfortunate effort he made To vim
dictate Lord Baltimore's authority-the
murder of Rously-was the principal cause
that led to his loss of influence at the court
of the English monarch and his ultimate
loss of the territory along the Delaware.
Talbot, during the few years he was in
authority in Cecil county, acted more
conspicuous part in it's history than any of
his contemporaries or any one of those who
had preceded him, except perhaps its illus
trious founder, Augustine Herman.
The reasons that induced Lord Baltimore
to grant unto Talbot the extensive mano:
of Susquehanna are SO we'll stated in
the patent that we cannot do better than
quote part of it. After the greeting
of all persons to whom it should come in
the name of the lord God everlast
ing" which was the form in which such
instruments were written at that time, it
proceeds as follows: "Know We that for
and in consideration that our right trusty
and right we'll beloved cousin and councillor
George Talbot, of Castle Rooney, in the
county of Rosscommon, in the kingdom of
Ireland, Esq, hath undertaken, at his own
cause to be transported into this province
within twelve years from the date hereof,
$40 persons of British or Irish descent here
to inhabit; and we not only having great
love, respect and esteem for our said cousin
and councillor, but willing also to give him
all due and lawful encouragement in SO
good design of peopling and increasing
the inhabitants of this our province of
Maryland, we'll considering how much the
same will contribute and conduce to the
strength and defense thereof, and that he
NAV receive some recompense for the great
charge and expense he must necessarily be
at in importing so great number of per-
sons into this, our province, as aforesaid.
and the better to enable him to do us, our
heirs and our said province further good
service and for divers other good cau'eS
and considerations, &C., Sc, = we
have thought fit to grant unto our dear
cousin and councillor all that tract or divi
dend of land, called Susquehanna, lying in
Cecil county, in our said province of Mary
land butting and bounding as follows, viz
Beginning at the furthest northeast head
of North East river, by line drawn north
west till it intersects the OctorarO river,
then by the said river till it falls into Sus-
quehanna river, and by the said river to
the mouth thereof, from thence by the head
of the bay of Chesapeake to the mouth of
North East river, and by the said river to
the head thereof, containing, by estima-
Less
By this patent, which was dated at st.
Maries, June 18th, 1880, Talbot was also
authorized and empowered to hold courts
baron and courts leet.
A few words descriptive of the character
and power of these courts may be interest
ing and instructive. The King, by legal
fiction, which the popularity of the case
required, could do no wrong, and justice
was supposed to flow in copous streams
from him to his superior courts, and being
subdivided into smaller channels, says Sir
William Blackstone, the whole and every
part of the kingdom was plentifully wat
cred and refreshed. Hence that justice
might be brought even to each mans door,
every manor created by the crown had, as
incident thereto, courts for the trial of
causes the, Elm arising. The immortal court,
having cira jurisdiction, was known as the
court baron, the principal business of which
was to settle controversies relating to the
right to land within the manor. In it also
troversy was less than forty shillings. The