Appendix. 627

And the only reasons for making the Act seem to be to deprive
the Lord of the benefit of his Escheat & next of the Quit rents
reserved upon all his Grants which make the Principal branch of his
L^dships Revenue

For which, as to the 25, acres, not the least reason is assigned to
Justify the Law the benefit of which is Equally extended to such as
have already Purchased or shall hereafter Purchase & the Law
seems Calculated in the nature of a Compromize between the Lord
and the people whe.^r Escheat or not Escheat
As to what is called the Publick ground the Act is Silent as to the
Supposed right which is therefore apprehended to be Incontestably
in the Lord Prop.^ry & the remaining Consid." is whether the Publick
Buildings already Erected upon this Spot shall work a Sufficient
merit in the Publick to Entitle them to this Land and whether if the
Lord Prop.^ry is willing to be Divested of his rights this is the proper
& necessary method to pursue by binding him by a Publick Law in
the first Instance before his Assent be otherwise Signified or whether
that Assent sh.^d not have been Signified in some other Shape &
preceded the Law

Calvert
Papers
No. 486
1752

Qq.^r.......Please therefore to Consider the three several Laws
herewith left And upon the several hints here offered and
such others as may arise upon the perusal of the Acts to be
Submitted to your more Serious Consid.ⁿ To give your
particular advice and Opinion upon each Law to the Lord
Prop.^ry and his Guardians in Order to Give their Assent or
dissent thereto
Note .... Since the transcribing these Short heads We have
found amongst the late Lord Baltimore's Papers in the
Collecting of the Acts of Assembly passed in 1745 the

parlar Act rcfcrcd to by thia last Act for Laying out
princess Ann Town which is herewith Left & by the last
Clause of that Act there is a reservation of 1.^d Sterling p
Acre yearly to the Lord Prop.^ry for each Lot taken up
But it must be Submitted to your Consid.ⁿ How far that
reserved Rent is taken care of by the present Act and
whether the Clause in this Act vesting the fee Simple in
the Takers up or Purchasers ought not to have preferred
the Lords Quit rent in the same or such like manner as in
another Act herewith also Left relating to Baltimore
Town

[EDITOR'S NOTE. — The handwriting changes and the following
opinion is in the hand of Charles Pratt, later Earl Camden and Lord
Chancellor]

To y^e first Law stated in this intitled An Act to make the Testi-
mony of Convicted persons Legal Ag.^t Convicted persons.

[p. 31