The Lower House. 375

M^r William Cumming admitted & Qualifyed as Clerk As-
sistant to this house by takeing the Severall Oaths Appointed
by Act of Assembly and the oath of Clerk Assistant and Sub-

L. H. J.

scribing The Test.
The petition of the Inhabitants of Dorchester County com-
plaining of an indue Election in that County was read and
referred to the Committee of Elections and" priviledges for
their Consideration and report.
M^r Speaker Comunicates to this House the following Mes-
sage from his Excellency with the Severall Opinions of Law-
yers in Great Britain on the Act for the better Supporting the
Magistrates in the Execution of Justice within this Province
and for disabling Thomas Macnemara Esq^r to practice the
law therein which was read and ordered to be entred as
follows viz.

M^r Speaker. I desire you will Acquaint the house the
enclosed are the Lawyer's Opinions I mentioned Yesterday
which are the Opinions of Council as I am inform'd feed by M^r
Macnemara on this Occasion.
The Opinion of S^r Edward Northey on the back of the late
Law herewith Sent you Sufficiently (as I think) Justifyes my
proceeding against M^r Macnemara in the Chancery Court
And may be of use to the Severall Courts of this Province.
Jo: Hart

Thomas Macnemara mentioned in the within Act is a Bar-
rister at Law of the Society of Gray's Inn and tho he lived at
Annapolis where the Assembly that made the within Law Sat
yet he never was called upon or Sumon'd to appear before the

P. 19

Assembly to answer any charge against him But the Act was
carryed with so much Secrecy that he had no Opportunity of
Justifying and defending himself, and altho he by accident
had some Intimation of it, And Did thereupon exhibit a Peti-
tion praying leave to be heard against the bill yet no order was
made upon it but after the Assembly was Prorogued their
Clerk returned him his Petition without any answer
The Generall insinuations contain'd in the preamble are in
themselves gorundless and the said Macnemara's greatest
Enemies have not been able to prove any undue or unfair
practice on him in one Single instance.
Qu^y Whether An Act grounded on Such generall Sur-
mises and carryed on in such a manner be not Illegal and
Arbitrary & whether the Lord Proprietary ought not in Jus-
tice to dissent thereto as being a thing without Precedent and

p. 20