xxxii Introduction.

of that right (pp. 362-363, 377, 393, 407-408). The upper chamber in their
reply to this message four days later maintained that in many cases they had
exercised what they considered their right to amend bills for the appropriation
of public money. Accordingly, they denied the contention made by the lower
body as to their exclusive rights in financial matters (pp. 364-365, 418-419).

Still another controversial subject upon which the two Houses could not
agree was the bill for raising four pence on each hogshead of tobacco exported
out of the province "for the Support of an Agent at London, for the Service
of the Province" (pp. 24, 84, 259, 263). This bill failed to pass as it had during
previous sessions of the Assembly (Arch. Md. LXI, x, xxiii, xxix, xxxix,
xlviii, Ixv, Ixvi-lxix; ibid. LIX, Ivi-lvii). Because the Lower House would not
agree to the amendments proposed by the Upper House to "An Act to Ease the
Inhabitants of this Province in the Payment of Attorneys Fees," it never
became a law (pp. 194, 200, 290, 303-304, 370, 427). For the same reason a
bill "for inforcing the Payment of Public Monies" was not enacted (pp. 24,
28, 85, 92).

As the Lower House considered them sufficiently important to order that
they should be printed in the Maryland Gazette two general bills introduced
while the General Assembly was in session in 1769 and 1770 are reproduced
in Appendix IX and X. One of the proposed laws was entitled "An Act to
redress the Evil arising from the Variation of the Compass in surveying Lands."
This bill was introduced at each session of the Assembly which met during
1769 and 1770. In addition to having this bill printed in the Maryland Gazette,
the Delegates ordered copies of it printed and sent to the members of the Upper
and Lower Houses of the Assembly. During the third and last session from
November 5-21, 1770, it was referred to the next session of the General As-
sembly after that (pp. 45, 52, 74, 81, 261, 285, 289, 292, 299, 398). This
question had come up for discussion at the May 24-June 22 session of the
Assembly in 1768 (Arch. Md. LXI, xlix, xlix-xl).

The other bill was entitled "An Act for the more effectually preventing the
buying and selling of Offices, and to prevent Simoniacal Contracts " This art
was introduced during the session of the Assembly which met from September
25 to November 2, 1770. Amendments to the bill were proposed by the Upper
House to which the Lower House would not agree. Despite the publicity each
bill received by being published in the Maryland Gazette, neither was enacted
before the Revolution (pp. 199, 202, 291, 296, 302-303, 306).

RELATING TO THE DIGNITY AND AUTHORITY OF THE LOWER HOUSE, 1769-1770

As the following incidents show the Lower House was very careful to uphold
its dignity and authority as a legislative body. The first of such cases was
involved in the passage of a bill entitled "An Act for appointing Places for
holding the next Election of Delegates for Baltimore County." It appears that
on December i, 1769, John Paca and six other freeholders, of Baltimore
County, petitioned the Upper House that on account of the smallpox prevailing
in Baltimore Town, the Sheriff should .hold the election of Delegates for that
county at Joppa as well as at Baltimore Town.