Introduction. xxxvii

(pp. 40, 209-210, 387). It should be explained here that many of the laws
were passed with a three year duration provision and were to continue in force
thereafter until the close of the Assembly which met after the end of the three
year period. This was done in order to prevent the province being without a
particular law should no session of the Assembly be held during the three
years following the enactment of that law.

On November 21, 1769, the committee which had been appointed to investi-
gate what laws would expire during the session, which opened on November
17, made their report. They stated that eleven acts would expire at the end
of that session unless continued. Only two of these laws, however, were allowed
to expire. They were: "An Act to prevent the Mischiefs arising from the
Multiplicity of useless Dogs, and other Purposes therein mentioned," and "An
Act for Tryal of all Matters of Fact in the several Counties where they have
arisen or shall arise" (pp. 40, 44-45).

The original act regarding "dog licensing" has been the subject of much
discussion in the General Assembly before it became a law during the Novem-
ber-December session held in 1765 (Arch. Md. LIX, xiii, xxxiv, 274-278).
The law was again debated at the session held in November and December of
1766. As a result an act supplementary to the original act of 1765 was passed
(Arch. Md. LXI, xxxvii-xxxviii, 241-242). As no steps were taken during
the Assembly which convened on November 17, 1769, to renew the act of
1765, or the one supplementary thereto, both expired when the session ended
in December.

It was during the May, 1766, session that the General Assembly passed the
act in regard to the trial of matters of fact in the several counties (Arch. Md.
LXI, xxiv-xxv, 75-82). Since no action was taken to continue this law, it, too,
expired (pp. 183, 189,274).

The General Assembly met twice during 1770. The first session lasted from
September 25 to November 2: the second session from November 5 to Novem-
ber 21. On September 27, soon after the opening of the first session, the com-
mittee investigating what general laws would expire unless reenacted reported
that two laws came within that category. One of these laws was "An Act for
amending the Staple of Tobacco for preventing frauds in his Majesty's Customs
and for the Limitation of Officers fees." This act by its terms would expire
on October 1, 1770, unless renewed (pp. 123, 212). The Assembly which met
September 25 to November 2, 1770, continued the act in force only until Oc-
tober 22 (p. 308). As no favorable action was taken to extend the act beyond
that date it expired at that time. The act and its importance are discussed else-
where in this introduction (pp. xxvii, xxix-xxxi).

The other general law which it was reported would expire unless continued
was "An Act for the speedy and effectual Publication of the Laws of this Prov-
ince and for the Encouragement of Ann Catherine Green of the City of An-
napolis, Printer" (p. 212; also see Arch. Md. LXI, Ixxxiv-lxxxvi, 455-458).
According to the provisions of this law it would be effective until December 25,
1770 (pp. 156-159). No action being taken to extend the act beyond that date
at either of the sessions of the Assembly held during 1770 it expired at that