Letter of Transmission. vii

introductory address, he urged the continuance of the fund for purchasing
arms and ammunition and the importance of a " Wise and prudent amend-
ment of our laws." The arms and ammunition question led to an animated
contest which resulted in the failure to pass any law and the spreading on the
Journal of the Lower House the text of the act it wished passed. The paper
money had about been exhausted and the Assembly was obliged to lay a tax
appointing a joint committee to assess and pay the public charges. Provision
was also made for repairing the public buildings. County Courts were con-
tinued, where attorneys practising before them were Delegates. The Court
House of Calvert County should receive repairs.

Disagreement between the Houses led to the failure of a considerable num-
ber of bills desired passed by the Lower House.

Report was made by the Commissioners of the expense of the West Indies'
expedition.

Several private or quasi-private acts were passed: enabling the Visitors of
Kent County School to lease their land, validating title to lands, paying for
the payment to their owners by the State of the value of two criminal slaves
who had died in jail. The inhabitants of Queen Anne Parish in Prince George's
County were directed to pay for repairing their chapel of ease. Seven debtors
languishing in Anne Arundel County jail were released, as were one in Cecil
County and one in Somerset County. Charles Sewall was granted the rever-
sion of the Choptank Indian reservation in Dorchester County.

Committees were appointed, six in number, varying in membership from
5 to 9. About ten members served on no committee. Wilson served on three
committees and eleven other Delegates served on two committees each. Three
members had died during the year: Mathews of Baltimore, Edward Wright
of Queen Anne's and Brannock of Dorchester and in place of them, Jacob
Hindman came from Dorchester, Thomas Hammond from Queen Anne's and
Aquila Paca from Baltimore. Henry Trippe was reelected. On June 11,
Philip Hammond from Anne Arundel, the Speaker, resigned on account of his
son's illness, retaining his membership, and was succeeded by Robert King of
Somerset, a member of the Proprietary party.

There were eight divisions during the Session. On May 30, the Lower
House refused, by a vote of 23 to n, to adopt an unstated amendment to an
entry approving the conduct of their agent in presenting their address to the
King. The Proprietary party voted for the amendment: viz., Calder and Harris
of Kent, Smith of Calvert, Hanson of Charles, King of Somerset, Hooper of
Dorchester, George, Colvill and Rumsey of Cecil, Gordon of Annapolis and
Wright of Queen Anne's.