IN my last of the 25th of February, by the Beaver, inclosing an Agreement made with the Lord Baltemore, for the quieting of the People of both Provinces in their Settlements on the Borders, I wrote my Sentiments freely in some Points relating to thy self and the Government, since which, I have, with the Principal of the Trustees and other Friends, considered more closely of the Province and our Interest there, which seems of late to be under some Discouragement, and to have suffer'd by Irregularities, which it is high Time should be remedied; and it may be worthy of thy own Reflection to consider, whether much of thy late Conduct, together with so apparent a Ne­glect of us, might not give us too much Reason to doubt whether thou didst look upon thy self to be any longer accountable to us, or whether thou hast not entertained an Opinion, that since my Husband's De­cease, the Circumstances of the Family had put it out of our Power to take any new Measures with that Government: But I must take this Opportunity to let thee know, that we could long ere this have found Means to convince thee to the contrary, had it not been for our tender Regard to thy Family and the Hopes we had conceiv'd that thou wouldst have made the best Application of thy known Abili­ties to the Interest of thy Constituents: And to the Intent that thy future Management may be more to our Satisfaction, I shall now give thee some further Instructions, which I shall expect thoul't punctually observe, together with those formerly given thee with thy Commissi­on. And in the first Place,

As I have with the Trustees made a farther Nomination and Ap­pointment of Persons to manage our Proprietary Affairs there, by the Names of Agents or Commissioners, thou art to assist those Commissi­oners with the Powers of Government, in all Cases where necessary or requisite for advancing our just Interest, and especially to see the Au­thority of the Courts and Laws exerted against those who on any Pretence invade or detain our Rights from us: And if in any Case there should be Occasion to use the Powers of Legislature thou art to apply thy best Endeavours to procure the Assistance of the Assembly to joyn with thee in passing such further Laws as may on such Occasions be wanted. And here I cannot but take Notice of thy Imprudence and great Mistake in a Point of this Nature, as mention'd in thy last Letter to me.

As in all the Changes of the Governours there, the Dependance of the Proprietor and his Family has been chiefly on their Friends in the Council, whose Recommendation alone was (as thou must needs [Page 2] remember) the first and chief Step to thy Advancement to the Place thou enjoys, we must still rely on their Advice and Assistance, as our principal Security, and more especially upon such of them as were confided in by my late Husband; but as thy Measures with the Coun­cil (as I have been assured by divers Hands) have been new and sin­gular, it is now absolutely required, that thou reform them as follows, viz.

That no Person be called to that Board, and admitted a Member of it without being first proposed and approved of in a Council im­partially and equally conven'd, consisting of at least two Thirds of the whole Number of acting Members, after which he may be admitted at the next Sitting. But as that Country was principally settled by those of our Profession called Quakers, 'tis expected, that at least one hal [...] of the whole Number shall be of that Profession: And if any Person has been call'd to that Board, without having been first ap­proved as aforesaid, that he be excluded till such Time as he shall be approved, and that the Number of Acting Members resident in the Government, consist not of less than Eight, nor of more than Twelve at one Time.

The Powers of Legislature being at present lodged solely in the Governour and Assembly, without so much as a Negative reserved to the Proprietor when absent, it is of the highest Importance for our Security, as well as for that of the Country, that Matters of Legi­slation should be carried on, with the most mature Advisement and De­liberation: For it never was intended, that every new Governour should with an Assembly Annually chosen, proceed to make what new Laws they should think proper, to be transmitted directly to the King's Ministers, without any other Check. It has therefore been the more surprizing to see thee (from whom it could have been least expected) to be the first Author of so dangerous an Innovation, which entirely takes off the Security, which the Proprietor ever had, and absolutely required of his former Deputies, that nothing should be transacted by them with any Assembly, but with the joynt Concurrence and Appro­bation of his Friends in the Council. Therefore for Remedy of this Grievance, it is required,

That thou advise with the Council upon every Meeting and Ad­journment of the Assembly which requires any Deliberation on the Governour's Part; that thou make no Speech, nor send any written Message to the Assembly, but what shall be first approved in Council; that thou receive all Messages from them in Council, if practicable at the Time, and shalt return no Bill to the House, without the Advice of the Council, nor pass any whatsoever into a Law, without the Consent of Majority of the same.

That the Minutes of Council be regularly kept, and those of the preceding Council be read and approved at the next Meeting, and shall always remain in the Possession of the Clerk of the Council.

I ought to have taken more Notice than I shall do of the last Letter I ever received from thee, being of the 5th of July, 1722. But as I look'd upon it only as the Effect of some warm Resentment, I shall for [Page 3] divers Reasons choose to say no more of it here. I must however further observe, that James Logan since his Arrival here, has to our Surprize on all Occasions refused the Title of Secretary of that Province, which upon Inquiry into the Cau [...]e, I find is owing to thy appointing by thy Commission under the Great Seal, another Person (an entire Stran­ger to u [...]) to [...] as Secretary of the Government in all Cases where any Profits arise, as well as Clerk of the Council. Upon which I cannot but tell thee, that my Husband the late Proprietor and Go­vernour, after a full Experience of his Probity, Fidelity and Capa­city for that Employment, appointed him not only Secretary of the Province, but entru [...]ed him particularly with the Management of his Affairs, as his Receiver General, and continued the same Confidence in him so far as to name him to be one of the Tru [...]ees of his last Will. And I m [...] do him the Justice to say, That we have had long Experience of his many faithful Services, and of his constant Care and Zeal to promote and support our Interest in that Country. We have seen the Ju [...]ness of his Accompts, which have been care­fully examined since his coming over, and such an Instance of his Fi­delity in making of our Returns (whereby we have been benefitted many Hundreds of Pounds by saving the Exchange) as can leave us no room to suspect his Integrity in the Management of any of our Affairs that have been under his Care; and therefore I should very much wrong both him and my self to look upon him in any other View than that of a very honest and capable Man, and my true and faithful Friend. 'Tis therefore what we could never have expected, that a Gentleman who obtain'd that Government by my Husband's Commission, and still holds it on the Foot of the same Appointment, should without any Notice to, or Direction from us, and without ever advising with his Council (as his Instructions enjoyn him in such Ca­ses) take upon him to displace such an Officer. It is therefore ex­pected and required, that all Commissions invalidating those to him shall be forthwith be made void.

That the Lesser Seal of the Province be re-delivered to him, and remain in his Custody, as it ever was from his Arrival there to thy Accession to the Government; That he, by himself or his Deputy shall exercise all the Parts of the Secretary's-Office; That all Instru­ments and Writings sign'd by the Governour, excepting Military Com­missions and Licenses for Marriage be done in his Office, and seal'd with the Seal of the Province. That only he, or such Persons as he shall appoint with the Approbation of the Council, be Clerk of that Board, and that all the Minutes of the Council shall remain in his Keeping. In all which I desire and expect that there be no Hesitation or Delay; and that for the future all Means be used to cultivate and preserve a good Understanding between you, for the publick Peace and General Good of the Province and my Family.

As to the Acts for a Paper-Credit, tho' the Merchants here inveigh very much against them and the Manner of passing them, has given us Reason to be dissatisfied, and might have tempted us to have had them repeal'd (which was easily practicable) yet upon a mature Deli­beration [Page 4] we have resolved to suffer the passing them, yet with this full Expectation that all possible Care be taken to support their Credit by any farther Acts that may be necessary for that Purpose, and all other Means that may conduce to that End. But we hope and expect that thou wilt never give thy Assent to the passing any Law for the creating any more such Paper-Credit.

We have been very much pleas'd with the happy Event of the Trea­ty at Albany, after the unfortunate Death of the Indian that lost his Life in the Province; and we cannot but approve the Conduct of the Government in that Affair, and acknowledge not only the Care of the Governour himself, but also of those Gentlemen who undertook so fa­tiguing a Journey for the Service of the Publick. And we hope and desire the same Care of those poor People the Indians may still be continued, that the same Measures my Husband first established with them may be constantly pursued, and that on all Occasions of Mo­ment, the Council, especially those Members of it, who are entrusted with the Affairs of Property, may be consulted, and that all Treaties with them may be managed with their Concurrence and Approbation.

We have had lately a Meeting with Lord Baltemore upon the settling the Boundaries; and tho' we cannot yet come to an Agreement there­in, yet his Lordship seems no less disposed than we are to determine that Dispute some Way or other, as soon as possible, which we hope may be done within the Time agreed upon for a mutual Cessation. However we desire thou wilt use the same Vigilance, which J. Logan tells us, thou hast always exerted to defend the Province, against all Incroachments, if any should be attempted by the Marylanders.

To these I shall only add, that as thou wert chosen in the Time of my Husband's Weakness, by the Means of his Friends only to that important Trust, it would be with some Regret should we be obliged to make a Change before our final Settlement with the Crown, tho' the Means are ready at hand: We therefore earnestly desire that thy Skill and Abilities may be employ'd to render thy Continuance yet grateful to us, which can be no other way effected, than by thy strict Obser­vation of thy former and these present Instructions.

To conclude, I recommend to thy utmost Care to promote and en­courage Vertue, Sobriety, Peace and Love among all the Inhabitants; to reconcile all Animosities and Factions for thy own Honour, the Reputation of the Country, and our Satisfaction; a speedy Account of which will be most acceptable to us. And in this I earnestly de­sire the Lord may bless thy Endeavours, from whence the most solid Comfort will arise to thy self, and a very great one to