xxviii Introduction.

SESSION OF OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1763

The second and last session of the Assembly elected in the autumn of 1761
did not meet until October 4, 1763. When the preceding session ended on
April 24, 1762, it had been prorogued to meet again on September 13 of that
year (p. 177), but on August 12, the Governor prorogued it until March 7,
1763; and again on February n, 1763 its meeting was further prorogued
until June 11, and again until October i, 1763 (Arch. Md. XXXII; 41, 48, 56).
Its first meeting, due apparently to an insufficient attendance, was delayed until
October 4, when the journals record that there were "A Sufficient Number of
Delegates to compose the Lower house of Assembly being Convened in the
Stadt house" (p. 291). The usual procedure at the opening of a session was
followed. The Governor made his opening speech to both houses. In the
Lower House the petition of "Michael Macnemara late clerk of this house
praying to be rechosen" as clerk was presented, and after being favorable
acted upon by the house, and the Governor's approval secured, he was elected
and sworn (p. 292). It will be recalled that Macnemara, who had been clerk
of the Lower House from 1747 to 1760, had recently spent two years in
England on a visit. In the view of Sharpe he was not favorably disposed
towards the Proprietary interest and was "a most turbulent spirit" (Arch. Md.
LVI; xxxvii). At the April-May, 1761, session and at the March-April, 1762,
session, John Allen Thomas of Talbot had served as clerk, and was now
replaced by Macnemara. Thomas was chosen as one of the clerks for Lower
House committees, as were also a little later Edward Magruder, Henry Wilkins,
Turbutt Wright, and Isme Baly (pp. 293, 296, 299, 311, 318). The "Reverend
M.^r Dewie" [Dowie] was desired to read divine service daily at the opening
and closing of meetings (p. 292). This was the Reverend William Dowie,
who on April 2, 1762, received the King's bounty and was licensed by the
Bishop of London for Maryland; he had been recommended to the Proprietary
by the Archbishop of York, and although he was at this date rector of St.
John's Parish, Queen Anne's County, he was temporarily in charge of St.
Anne's, Annapolis (Arch. Md. XXXI; 534: XIV; 101).

The same rules of procedure were adopted as had been used at preceding
sessions (pp. 71, 72, 293.294). A little later in the session, however, a new
rule was adopted, on motion offered by Colonel Edward Tilghman, "that for
the future the name of every Gentleman who may make a Motion in the house
be incerted in the Entry that may be made in consequence thereof" (p. 317).
This was a new departure in Maryland legislative procedure and was one which
makes the Lower House journal less impersonal than it had previously been.
The new rule seems, however, to have been applied only to new or relatively
important matters, routine motions rarely disclosing the names of the movers.
The house also adopted a rule later in the session "that when a Sufficient
Number of Members to Compose a house are met the house proceed to Business
notwithstanding the Absence of any" (p. 356). Another new rule was also
adopted on motion of Colonel Tilghman that for the future on the third day
of every session a committee be appointed and ordered to compare the Lower