The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-11-23
The story Of an Am--,csr rn,n,,rate.

Tho delightful account OF colonial Vir-
gnia for which the American Common
wcalth3' sories was indebted to Dir. John
Esten Cooke. has now been followed by a COM
panon picture OF pre- Revolutionary haryinmd
by WILLIAM HASD BROWNE liIoughton. Mi
fin Co... Tho authors researches havo
been pain6takinG md extensive. ind will
trnd to romove good doal Of misapprshen-
sion regarding the religious and political
history Of MARYLAND under the proprietary
government. He has done his best. also to
reanimato ard illumine tho social aspects Of n
community which had very much in common
with It's southern nsighl or. but whose record.
compared with that Of tidowater Virginia
seems mcagre. palo. aud tame. On the planta-
tioas north Of the Potomac. MS on those skirt
ing tho James. York. and iappahanuock
Rivers. almost the sole crop grown for cxport
WIS tobacco. and tho aversion to congre-
eating In towns wIs oven moro pronounced
nmcns the grantees Of Lord baltimore than in
tho Old Dominion. The rebellions demonstra-
tons. too which now and then broke the tran
quil dow OF colonial annals were less violent
and frequent and. ms SIR. Browne shows les
warranted in Maryland than in virginia. and
the former proy!rce took a much leas promi-
nent and efficient part in repellinG tho en-
croachucnts Of the French and Indians on the
western border. Yet Of course II must DO borne
in mind how far the resources OF Lord Bati-
more's colony f'l short Of those possesse' by
the elder commonwealth in respect bot. OF
wealth and population.
Mr.. Brownies monograph will materially as
sist tho reader in settling some controversial
points in the early history OF Maryland. What
for instance. was the proportion OF Catholics in
the population. and which clement OF the COM
munity showed itself opposed to liberation?
What was the significance Of the revolutionary
movement which temporarily suppressed tho
palatlnate government in 1858. and to what
eStent were the persistent efforts to
limit tho powers OF tho proprietary
justified? As regards the original emf
grafton MIR. Browne deems 1t probable
that most OF the gentlemen advcpturers'
as they wore called were Catholics md most OF
the laborcrs and servants Professionals" Hafa
century later contemporary letter estimates
the proportion Of Protestants to Catholics as
thirty to one. but the authors computation Is
twelve to one. 1t is certain that the Professionals
arc solely chargsable with stiting tho noble
spirit OF liberation in which the colony was
planted, and 10y which its legislation was for
some time characterized. One OF the first
measures taken by the provincial ASSEM-
bly, elected after tho Puritans encouraged
by Bennett and Claiborne. acquired ascendancy
during Cromwell's protec'ora.o was to repeal
the act OF tolsraton and to restrain not only
Catholics but MONITORS Of tho Anglican Church
and many sects OF Protestant dissonters. in tho
public profession OF their faith. On tho rein
statement Of the proprietary in lG575s these
oppressive laws wore abrogated. but after
Goodies rebel lion In 1858 they wore re-
tho Catholics OF Mnryland wore suh'
Jected to the harshost severities. Nor was thar
lot much GneIorals1 when. in l7i5. tho Crown
reinvested tho Lord Proprietor with the polit-
zeal powers conferred by the original charter.
for the fourth Lord Baltimore renounced On
tholicisin and joined the Church of England
Jnst as the heirs Of william Penn wero to pbjure
tho ttnsfs OF the Society Of Friends.
Whether the colonial revolution OF 1893
(which caused q suspension OF tho pnlat mate
government for more than uunrt-r OF n cen
tury was really an uprising of the people or
the work oil n few 'hc,iouS spirits' Mr.. Browne
does not iind II easy now to decide" He
does not hesitate, however. to affirm that tho
COMPLAINTS In the adnrosses to King William
Of " the oppression under which the l'rotestanfs
lived were pure fiction" 1t is mnhs clear.
indeed. throughout this volume that tho Mary
lanti"rs. when their situation ia compared with
that OF tho less fortunate inhabitants OF other
colonies mad on the who bio no reasonable ground
for that impationoe OF tho palHtinate ~ stem
which they continually displayed. Tho hour
came when they regarded the charter given TO
Lord Bal t,more ms the bulwark of their liher-
ties, aud when tbs Crowns little finger proved
thicker than the prnprietary's loins.
Inc successive nut ilationS to which Mary
land Was subjected at the hands Of the adjoin-
ing colonies are clearly indicated in Il map in
serted in this book. IL Is indisputable that tho
riShtful boundarcs OF the province comprised
all hat part Of Ponnsylvania which lies south
state OF Delaware. so much Of West Virginia as
lies between tho north and tho south branch #
the Potomac and n narrow strip Of the present
Firsinnn eastern shore.