The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-07-15


Huge manorial tracts were
granted to the first Corners. on
taking the oath of fealty to the
Lord Proprietor. who. in turn. had
received his powers from the King
Charles Ion taking a similar
oath.
These grants were sorry things
when the original proprietors re-
eeived them. Great stretches of
tangled wilderness they were, RAJ
Vine-and swamp clogged. miles from
the nearest contact with civiliza-
ton, and that a mere huddle of
nuts on creek shore.
To clear these tracts, reduce
them to revenue producing farms;
to beat out the rough roads, bridge
the creeks, drain the mud holes,
transport the rule farming equip
n1ent and construction materials
Tor dwellings,, store houses and
harms; arrange for the transporta-
ton of the crops to England, keep
an eye open for Indians, and watch
the London agents-to accomplish
all this and more with a retinue OF
half-savage slaves and semi-rebel-
hous "indentured servants or
transported convicts. little better
than the chain gangs occasionally
Z met with in the more backward
States today-required courage. re-
sourcefulness, intelligence and skill
in handling men-the real basis of
Mafyland's aristocracy.
Backbone Necessary
Lord Baltimore's grants were
valid only when accompanied by a
full set of backbone, and were void
II detached therefrom.
That Maryland was settled by
slave and convict labor seems like
an atrocious thing to us of this
age, But such things were the
same matter-of-fact custom in the
second Lord Baltimore's day, that
the electrocution of uninfluential
nlnrderers is in ours.
Lord Baltimore could hardly be
expected to combat all the evil in
stitutions of his day. He passed Up
slavery and directed his efforts
against religious persecution. The
first year of his Maryland expert.
ment cost him 100000.
Persecution With Teeth
The religious persecution of those
DAYS had teeth in it. In England,
attendance at the established church
every Sunday was compelled by
law. Absence was punished by fine,
and repeated violation of the law
brought life imprisonment. For.
elgners had to be baptized before
they could be naturalized, and they
had to be naturalized or they had
no rights at all worth mentioning.
Roman Catholics could not vote or
hold any position of trust.
Catholics who refused to acknowl-
edge the supremacy of the king in
religious matters were not allowed
TO 60 further than five miles from
their homes. Violation of the law
was punished by confiscation of all
their property. Now and then par.
ticularly obstinate specimens were
burned at the stake. A few years
before. when the Catholics were in
control, the shoe was on the other
foot, and the SProtestants felt the
heft of it, Lord Baltimore's idea
was to do away with all that, and
let every man choose the church he
wanted to attend or stay away
from.
Respected Indian Rights
He was able to do that for a while
In his own colony. And his broad.
mindedness covered more than re-
hgious matters. He held that even
the heather Indians had rights, and
he gave strict orders that those
rights were to be respected.
The last paragraph of his instrue.
tons to his governor and councillors
In Maryland were: "In fine. thew