rector promptly complied with the agreement. But it was not only between pastor and people that difficulties arose. It was also between the clergy and laity of the colony. For there probably never was perfect confidence on the part of either in the other, that perfect harmony that made`all relations smooth. It was only the Roman Catholics who were disfranchised, and consequently there were always found in the Assembly of Maryland many non-conformists; the number in 1718 being said to be about one-third. In the beginning all such had welcomed the Establishment as the best possible thing for the colony; but now the clergy always beheld in them, and doubtless with some reason, an occasion for anxiety, believing that if in any way the friends of the Establishment became divided, this minority would be used against the Church. In the last days of the colony, when politics ran very high, such a danger became very imminent, and a great champion of the church, Mr. Boucher, had to remind certain prominent politicians that though churchmen and vestrymen, they were most inconsistently, by their influence, leagued with the force of the opposition. It was this jealousy and fear doubtless that stimulated the cry, so often raised about the time above given and afterwards, of the attempts to starve out the clergy by the division of parishes. Even the best men raised this cry. That it was without reason we may well believe, in most if not all cases; for the division of the parishes must have by this time become necessary in various portions of the colony, from the large increase of popula tion and the demand for more places of worship, and of course more ministers. But the clergy could not always see that, and sometimes it was a great grievance, as to divide made the revenue so small that the alternative was to vacate or starve. This minority became, also, formidable on other occasions; for unless the majority was united the balance of power was with it. But majorities are not likely to be always united. Security itself is apt to breed occasions of distraction and separation, by new issues arising. So the clergy felt and saw, and apprehended with good reason. For if it were a question of strengthening the Bishop' shands for discipline, the minority could be relied upon to prevent it. If it were a question of reducing the clergy's salary, they were trustworthy coadjutors. If it were a question of erecting a court, violating the idea of Episcopacy, for trying clergymen; the voice of the minority was ready, as they knew nothing of the idea of Episcopacy except to abominate it. And this continued through the whole period of the existence of the Establishment, so that the clergy could never enjoy perfect quietness and peace. As to the reduction of their salaries by the reduction of the tax, that was a matter never for many years truly at rest; because it was readily presented as a popular measure, the people being always desirous of a reduction in taxation. Also, it could be with great plausibility urged and defended by representing many of the salaries as excessively large, and also by seizing upon two or three unusually prosperous seasons, such as tobacco planters have from time immemorial had, when prices ranged high; the popular mind being oblivious. of the fact that such seasons are always followed by years of depression. It is true the colonial authorities attempted to prevent this variation by limiting the supply through fixing the amount, so much for each laborer, to be raised on each plantation. This probably was effective, as far as it went, for it continued to be the practice for years; and counters were regularly appointed by the vestries, the appointing power under the law. Good care, however, was taken that the clergy should not profit by this ordinancey, for a price was fixed for commutation, so that with tobacco very high, the planters would pay over to the sheriff for the parson's use cash or grain, and with it low the tax was paid in the long leafed currency. The clergy did not, however, always have to contend alone in this matter, for the people became as much irritated against various colonial officers on account of their excessive fees, as against the clergy; and with better reason, for charges in the various offices were generally very extravagant. A provision for commutation, then, affected them as much as it did the parsons, and without much affection, may be, for the clergy's cause, these influential men were sometimes found united with the clergy in the same battle. The difference in the value of parishes was great, some yielding from four to five times as much as others, some in 1767 paying only about one hundred pounds, while the cost of living in the matter of all things brought from abroad was very high. The clergy from time to time complained that when they were paid in tobacco it was only in the inferior grades; for, so that it was mer chantable it seems to have been receivable. We have seen how parish expenses were to be paid, by a special levy for that purpose from year to year, granted by the county court to the parish applying. The amount of this levy varied, but was never over ten pounds per poll, the amount provided for in the act of 1702. Sometimes the vestry immediately put in the application, but sometimes they acted only for parishioners who were first called upon to decide what ought to be done and what amount of tax might be necessary. The county court also had the power of granting or refusing; a liberty they sometimes exercised, in obedience possibly to some passing jealousy of the people at some supposed recklessness in the vestry. The earlier law of 1699 gave the vestry itself the power of assessing for this purpose, betraying an amount of confidence which a cooler after-judgement seems to have modified. As current expenses meant not only the keeping of the church and chapel yard in a decent and proper condition, but also renovating, restoring and rebuilding, as for instance, a vestry house when there was occasion, the amount asked for and obtained was not excessive. The whole plan of the Establishment was an economical one as compared with our later schemes; one of its virtues being that none could shirk duty as many do now, but all had to bear a fair proportion of the burden. The only drawback was that some, though less than one-third, of the people who worshiped in other places and derived no spiritual benefit from the Establishment, had to pay a like proportion with everybody else to the |