512 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1751.

Lib. C. B.

To his Excellency Samuel Ogle Esq^r Governor & Com-
mander in Chief in and Over the Province of Maryland And
to the Honourable his Lordships Council

The Petition of the Freeholders of King George Parish
in Prince Georges County

Most humbly Sheweth
That in pursuance of an Act of Assembly the Freeholders
of the said Parish met on Easter Monday the Eighth day of
April last at the Parish Church (at Broad Creek) and there
(by a great Majority) Elected M^r John Beall jun^r and M^r David

Ross for Vestrymen, and. M^r John Baynca and M^r John Row

for Church Wardens as appears by a Certificate annexed to
this Petition, Signed by John Willing Register of the said
Parish, and yet you will See from the said Certificate that the
Vestry met on the Seventh day of May Last and made a

P. 445

Resolve (after M^r John Beall jun^r Appeared & offered to
Qualify as a Vestryman in Consequence of his Election) that
no Dissenter hath a Right to bear Office in the Church of
England and in Pursuance of that Resolve refused to Admit
the said M^r John Beal jun^r as a Vestryman, and also Talk of
Summoning the Freeholders to a New Election
Now as your Petitioners esteem such a Resolve unprece-
dented, & inconsistent with the Laws of this Province; and
apprehend that the Vestry have a farther View of Excluding

also M^r David Rosa and M^r John Row, by that Resolve; which

would not only frustrate the Freeholders in their Choice of
Vestrymen, now & in times to come, but in a great Measure
disapoint their Expectations of an enquiry into the Preceeding
Conduct of the Vestry which your Petitioners humbly Appre-
hend has not in many Instances been agreeable to Law
Therefore your Petitioners humbly Pray that a Stop may
not only be put to the Vestrys Proceeding to a New Election
but that direction may be given that M^r John Beall jun^r may
be Admitted as a Vestryman on taking the Oaths directed by
Our Act of Assembly. And your Petitioners as in duty bound
shall ever Pray &c.
Signed by Sev^l of the said Parishioners

To which Remonstrance the following Answer was preferred

To his Excellency the Governor and the honourable the
Council.

The Petition of Henry Addison, Clerk Rector of King George's
Alias S^t Johns Parish in Prince Georges County on behalf of
himself and the Vestry of the said Parish