The Upper House. 313

to be taken by Act of Assembly, repeat and Subscribe the Abjuration
and Test, and then withdraw.
Adjourned until to Morrow Morning Ten of the Clock.

U. H. J.
Liber No. 36

June 17

Friday Morning 18.^th 1773.
The House met again according to Adjournment.

Present as yesterday.

Mess^rs Richardson and Sudler attend with Mess.^rs William Ennals
and John Ennals, Members elected for Dorchester County, M.^r
Robert Buchanan for Kent County, and M.^r Richard Tilghman
Earle for Queen Anns County, to see them Qualified, who take

June 18

the Oaths to the Government appointed to be taken by Act of
Assembly, repeat and Subscribe the Abjuration and Test, and then
withdraw.

On a Second Reading of the Bill entitled "An Act concerning
Estates-Tail and the Jurisdiction of the County Courts," it was
moved that the same should lie on the Table for a Third Reading,
which being overruled, the Question was put, Whether the said
Bill shall pass? Resolved in the Affirmative and sent the Bill to
the Lower House by George Plater Esquire.

Whereupon John Beale Bordley Esquire, with the Leave of this
House, entered his Dissent and Protestation against the said Bill
in the manner following Viz.^t

In the Upper House of Assembly 18.^th June 1773.
The Bill entitled An Act concerning Estates-tail and the Juris-
diction of the County Courts, was read the Second Time. There-
upon it was moved that the same should lie on the Table for a Third
Reading; which being overruled, the Question was put Whether
the said Bill shall Pass? It was resolved in the Affirmative. Where-
upon having the Leave of the House according to usage, I enter my
Dissent and Protestation against the said Bill for these following
among other Reasons

1.^st Because, altho' it appears to me the Bill, from the enormous
Alteration that if passed into a Law, it will occasion in the Consti-
tution of this Government, cannot safely be continued and therefore
is not expected to be revived or continued for any long Time; that
yet it will in my Humble Opinion, even within the narrow Compass of
seven Years, its present Limitation, damp the Commerce of the Coun-
try, by a Shock it will give to Credit, from a great uncertainty and
variety in the Rules of Right that it will Occasion in the different
Counties, and very many Inconveniencies to Suitors far beyond those
it professes to avoid.

23

p. 649