384 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770.

Lib. C. B.
No. 20

of which are so sensibly felt at home and which when adapted
to the Circumstances of the Colonies will we hope prove not
less beneficial here.
To the Support of an American Episcopate already pro-
vided by pious Donations, we are ready to add such a propor-
tion out of our Livings as may render that Station more
respectable and we trust that under its Auspices we shall be
able more successfully to inculcate into the Minds of your
Majesty's faithful Subjects in Maryland, the Principles of
that holy Religion which at once teach to fear God and Honour
the King.

My Lord.
We the established Clergy of the Province of Maryland
now convened, finding the Constitution of the Chruch of Eng-
land here in danger from the Growth of Sectaries and at-
tempts made upon our legal and constitutional Rights and
Immunities by the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and
likewise taking into consideration the Inconveniencies and

p. 122

Hardships that the Candidates for Holy Orders labour under
in these distant parts of his Majesty's Dominions, have Peti-
tioned the Throne for an American Episcopate and requested
his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury to forward and
second our Address. We likewise beg your Lordship to
further that laudable Design which your Lordship well knows
will secure the Church from any attempt of the like nature for
the future and hand down to our latest Posterity those in-
valuable Blessings that she enjoys at present at home under
that happy Constitution.
For the Bishop
of London.

Whereupon reading the aforegoing Petition of the Clergy
to his Excellency and the several Papers accompanying the
same this Board after mature Consideration thereon did unan-
imously advise his Excellency to send the following answer.

Annapolis 15^th Sept^r 1770.
Gentlemen
Though your Address I think imports that it is the Act of
the whole Clergy of the established Church, flowing from
their general Deliberation and unanimous Opinion, yet to
enable me to consider it with propriety in this Light, a
clearer Satisfaction is requisite than what arises from the
Delivery of a paper by nine Clergyman, or from the formal
Attestation of a person in an Official Character unknown in
our Constitution and assumed upon I know not what Grounds.