Letter of Transmission. ix

two from Prince George's, one from Queen Anne's and two from Worcester.
There seems to have been no politics in the division.

Upon the other division, the House Voted 44 to 7 to print Gov. Shirley's
letter to Gov. Bladen. Only three members were absent and the minority
consisted of Barnes from St. Mary's, King and Dennis from Somerset, George
and Colvil from Cecil, Buchanan from Baltimore, and Gordon from Annapolis.
Except Buchanan, these men were always strong supporters of the Proprie-
tary. The Upper House was so indignant at this vote that it threatened Jonas
Green, the printer, with punishment, if he complied with it, and, at his request,
the House waived this printing.

The fourth division was taken on August 25, on the adoption of a Com-
mittee report, complaining that officers' fees were taken in accordance with a
governor's proclamation. Only 8 members opposed the report. All four of
the delegates from Somerset County voted in support of the Governor, as did
Sulivane of Dorchester, Colvil of Cecil, Gordon of Annapolis and Purnell of
Worcester. Those in favor of adopting the report numbered 38.

On the 28th of August, a contested election in St. Mary's gave rise to a
division. Mills, who was returned elected, and Swan tied in the vote at the
polls and the sheriff cast the deciding vote for Mills. The House decided that
the sheriff had no right to vote: seventeen members holding such a vote was
proper, while thirty-one denied the legality of his act. The three other mem-
bers from St. Mary's upheld the sheriff, as did Hall of Anne Arundel, Courts
of Charles, all the Somerset members but Wilson, Lloyd of Talbot, Ennalls
and Sulivane of Dorchester, George and Colvil of Cecil, Buchanan of Balti-
more, Gordon of Annapolis, Purnell and Outten of Worcester—for the most
part men who belonged to the Proprietary party. On the next day, Mills was
ousted from his seat by a vote of 18 to 29, Hooper of Dorchester also voting
for him.

On August 29, the third election case was decided and Sulivane of Dorches-
ter was unseated by a vote of 17 to 30, because he had acted as under sheriff.
The vote was similar to that in the Mills case, though Abell of St. Mary's
changed to vote against the sitting member as did Hall of Anne Arundel,
Courts of Charles, Lloyd of Talbot, and Buchanan of Baltimore. Stoughton
of Somerset was absent. Lecompte of Dorchester voted against his fellow
member. On the other hand, Harris of Kent changed from the negative to
the affirmative as did Osborn Sprigg of Prince George's, Hopper of Queen
Anne's and Selby of Worcester, while Wilson of Somerset appeared so as to
vote for Sulivane. All three men unseated belonged to the Proprietary party.