The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-02-23
Historical Researches that Quilp Made
as Bohemian.
CHAPTER NEII.

CHAPTER NVII
GEORGE TALBOT AND THE MURDER OF
ROUsBY.
George Talbot was military chieftain
as well as civil ruler of the northeastern
part of the province, and though this part
of his history has been written and some
of our readers may be familiar with it, il
contains some errors which should be cor
rected, desire to do which is the only
apology the writer has to offer for med
ding with it at this time.
The Delaware and Chauhannauks as well
as the warlike and powerful Susquehan-
nocks were still lingering in the hunting
grounds of their fathers, and at this time
and as late as 1897 were in the habit OF
trading with the proprietor of trading
post at the mouth of the Sus1uehanna.
The Delawares had, at that time, about
forty men and lived at White Clay creek,
now in Delaware. The Susquehannocks
lived at Conestoga, and the Chauhannauks
west of the Susquehanna and few miles
further down that river than the other
tribe.
At that time these Indians had consider
able trade with traders from New Castle
and Philadelphia. This, it is true, is thir-
teen years after the time that Talbot ceased
to be one of the deputy governors of the
province. and we mention it to show that
the Indians during the time of his admin.
, istration were still within the limits of his
manor and no doubt gave him much trou-
be
Talbot was colonel of a company of rang
ers, whose especial business was to guard
the country under his jurisdiction from the
incursions of these hostile Indians and from
the emissaries of William Penn, who, about
this time, were anxious to extend the lin
it's of his province as near to the navigable
waters of the Chesapeake as they possibly
could do, he and they being actuated by a
desire to obtain control of some outlet foI
the southern part Of his province, in order,
ultimately, to control, to some extent at
least. the trade and commerce of the Chesa
peake bay.
In order to prevent the incursons of the
settlers from along the Delaware, Talbot
had fort erected probably some where
near where Christiana village is now 10
Gated and placed small garrison there to
defend and protect the eastern frontier of
his territory. Signals were established for
the purpose of calling his clan together
horns, and the firing of three lnusket shots
in succession, either in the day time or at
night, gave notice of approaching danger
and called this border chieftain's follow
stronger hearts, were ready to do his bid
ding. 4 line of block houses, at convent
ent distances, extended from one end of
New Ireland to the other These houses
were built of logs, and were capable of
withstanding the attacks of the Indians for
a long time.
The early settlers in Sassafras Neck had
one of these buildings short distance south
of the junction of Little and Great Bone
mia rivers, at least we find one so located
upon rough sketch of Bohemia Manor,
probably one hundred and fifty years old,
now in the possession of the Historical So
cety of Maryland.
1t is probable that Bacon hill was oligi
nally called Beacon hill, and that that name
was applied to it during the time that Tai
bot was in authority in New. Ireland. Then
there were other troubles That grew out of
the unfortunate condition of affairs in Eng
land. The weak aud vacillating Charles
the Second, then king of England, was
near the end of his inglorious reign, and
for long time had viewed, with j"alon>
eyes, the powers and franchises with which
the charter of Maryland invested the Lord
Proprietary. So jealous indeed was Charles,
that, in the last year of his reign, he threat
ened to institute proceedings in the Court
of Chancery, with a view of wrestling the
charter from Baltimore. No doubt his
cupidity was increased and his jealousy
aggravated by the fact that that instru-
ment shielded the people of Maryland to
some extent from his rapacity. Parlia,
ment, which, for a long time was exces
sively loyal to the house of Stewart, had
passed an act in his reign for the collection
of tax or duty upon the products that
were exported from the southern colonies.
and Maryland being much interested in the
culture of tobacco at this time, this tax
was considered by the inhabitants as being
onerous and oppressive.
The col lectors of this tax were APP
pointed by the king, and were, i'll no wise,
amenable to the government or authority
of the colonies. The office of tax collec-
tor has always been thankless one, and
these collectors representing, as they did.
the royal authority, were no doubt as tyran
ous and arbitrary as they dared to be. Years
after this time we find that they were in
the habit of farming out the offices they
held. They were each supplied with yes
sci, in which they cruised upon the naviga
BILE waters in their districts while in the
prosecution of the business appertaining
to their offices.
At this time, and for some time before.
one Christopher Rousby was one of the
collectors of the kings customs in Mary
land, and there is the record of a letter
sent by Lord Baltimore to the president Of
the kings council, in which he speaks Of
Rousby as "having been a great knave
and a disturber of the trade and peace OF
the province"
In June, 1884, Lord Baltimore departed
from Maryland upon a visit to England to
look after his interest there. Previous to
his departure. he appointed, as has been
before stated, nine deputy or lieutenant
governors, who were charged with the exc
cu,ion of all the duties of the governor,
Benedict Leonard Calvert. who was then a
minor The first named in this commits
sion was George Talbot, who was selected
for this responsible position on account of
the relationship existing between him and
Lord Paltimore as we'll rs on account of