OCR Text |
Show A N N A P 0 L I S. council has always rejeCted it; all edging the inconvenience of fuch a tax, as it v:ould necelfar ily be a refrraint upon tr ade ; and ruin many of th e me rch an ts credit. The proprietor has a negati ve ·:if upon ev ery bill, excluGve of his go~ernor .. There are feveral courts of judicature in th1s provl!lcc ; but the principal are either th ofe which are bel~ q u.art~r~ y in each .county by the ju fl ices th ereof, li ke thofe 111 V1rgm1a; or. the provincial ones, which are held twice annually at Annapolis by judges appointed for that purpofe f. The court .of chance~y. con (ifis of the governor and council : and the dermer refort IS to his majefry in council at home. The efiabliihed religion is that of the church of England : but there are as many Roman Catholics as Protefrants. The clergy are liberally provided for; they have not, as in Virginia, a fixed quantity of tobacco; but fo much per head, viz. 30 weight for every tythable in their refpective parilhes : and fome of them make more than 300 1. fierling per annum. They are prefented to their livings by the governor; and are under the jurifdiB:ion of the bifhop of London; but being at a great diO:ance from Engl and, and having no cornmilfary to fuperintend their affairs, they labour under many inconveniences. Aifelfments are made, I was told, by the county-courts; the vellry, which confifis of twelve members difiinCl: from the church-wardens, having little or no authority ~· * This power is doubted, though it has never yet been contefl:ed. t Beiides thefe courts, there was formerly a general court of affize held throughout the province, either once or twice a year, but this has been laid aft de. t The whole vefl:ry, as in Virginia, confifl:s of twelve members; but they go off by rotation two every year ; fo there is annually a fre!h election. They have the power of appointing infpeClors, &c. In M A R Y L A N D. In each county throughout this province, tlJere is a public fr ee .. fchool, for reading, writing, and accounts; but no college or academy; and the education of youth is but little attended to. The character of the inhabitants is much the fame as that of the Virginians; aild the frate of the two colonies nearly alike. Tobacco, to [peak in general, is the chief thing attend ed to in both. There have been fome attempts indeed to make wine; and it is certain, that the country is capable of producing almofr any fort of grapes. Col. Tafco, a gentleman of difiinction in thefe parts, <ittempted to make Burgundy, and fucceeded tolerably well, for the fidl: trial. 1 drank fome of the wine at the table of Mr. Hamilton, the governor of Penfylvani1, and thought it not bad. But whether, as this gentleman is now dead, any other perfon will have fpirit to profecute his plan, I much doubt. The currency here is paper-money, and the difference of exchange about fifty per cent. The duty upon negroes, is only forty lhillings currency per head at their importation ; whereas in Virginia it is ten pounds. I hired a fchooner of about ten ton, and embarked for the head of the bay, difiant twenty-three leagues; we made fail with a frelh breeze, and after a plea fan t palfage of fixteen hours, in one of the mofi: delightful days imaginable, arrived at Frederick-Town upon Salfafras river, about twelve in the evening. I never in my life fpent a day more agreeable, or with higher entertainment. The lhores on each fide the bay, and the many little iilands interfperfed in it, afford very beautiful profpects; we were entertained at the fame time with innumer .. able porpoifes playing about the bow of the {hip; and naturally fell into a train of the mofr pleafing reflections, on obferving the mouths of the many noble rivers as we palfed along. On the weilern lhore, befides thofe great rivers of Virginia, which I have already defcribed, there are ten or eleven others large and capacious, fome of them navjgabJe a confid erabJe G way June rJ. |