letter of Transmittal.

order of this House," but a motion to confine him in the " public gaol" was
defeated by a vote of twenty-eight to twenty-two. No further action seems to
have been taken, and he was probably automatically released by the ending of
the session two days later. A bill was introduced and passed by the Lower
House placing additional disabilities upon the Catholics, but the Upper House,
which had taken no part in the anti-Catholic agitation, allowed it to die. The
Governor, however, in reply to a resolution of the Lower House promised, in
conformity with the laws actually then in force, to appoint only " good prot-
estant subjects " to offices of trust, and to induct only clergymen of the orthodox
faith into livings in the province.

No new legislation of importance was enacted at the Session except that the
laws regulating the inspection and shipping of tobacco were further strength-
ened. A curious act was one continuing in force the law of 1747 prohibiting
" the sale of strong liquors and running of horse races near the yearly meetings
of the people called Quakers." At this Session was passed the Act establishing
Georgetown, then in Prince George's County, and now in the District of
Columbia.

The first Session of the new General Assembly which had just been elected,
was called by Governor Ogle to meet December 7, 1751. The Governor
announced the recent death of the Proprietary, Charles the fifth Lord Baltimore,
but expressed his satisfaction that Frederick, the new Proprietary would soon
be of age. The Session lasted only about a week; it was called to secure legisla-
tion validating sundry actions at law and legal processes taken in the name of
the late Proprietary, after his death had actually occurred, but before notice
of this event had reached the province. A resolution of condolence upon the
death of Frederick, Prince of Wales, addressed to the King, was passed by both
houses. No other legislation of importance was enacted, but seats were refused
in the Lower House to the four delegates from Baltimore County whose
election was declared irregular, and seats were also refused to two delegates
from Kent County, because one already held the office of inspector of tobacco,
and the other was the keeper of an ordinary at the time of his election. This
was the last session of the Assembly which met under Ogle, who died May 3,

1752.

Frequent reference will be found in this volume and in other Maryland
archives of the eighteenth century to the Iron Chest which was used as the
depository for the paper money issued by the province. It is interesting that
this large iron strong-box or chest, ordered in 1733 by an act of the Assembly,
after its use was discontinued about the time of the Revolution, disappeared
from sight and was supposed to have been thrown away or destroyed. About