xxviii Introduction.

maintained that as forty pounds had been settled upon them in perpetuity by the
Crown of England, by and with the advice and consent of the General Assembly,
that in framing a new law attention should be shown the petitioners as is con-
sistent with their legal rights (pp. 10, 101).

When they took this matter under consideration two days later, the Delegates
voted that the clergy should receive thirty-two instead of thirty pounds of
tobacco per poll. The minister's claim for forty pounds was not allowed (pp.
107-108).

The bill for amending the staple of tobacco, etc. was with amendments passed
by the Lower House on October 18 and sent to the Upper House (p. 112).
After considering the proposed law, the upper chamber informed the lower
chamber that they found parts of it of such a character that they could not
pass it, but as the welfare to the province depended so much on the success of
the bill they wanted a conference with the Lower House "on the Subject Matter
thereof." This message was sent the Delegates on October 30 (pp. 18, 135).
On the same day the Lower House voted to agree to such a conference and, on
the following day, the Upper House was told that the Delegates had appointed
seven of their members as conferees to join any members of the Upper House
appointed for the same purpose (pp. 136-137, 138).

The upper chamber at once replied and informed the Delegates that they had
in turn appointed five of their members to join with the seven members of the
Lower House in a conference (pp. 20, 140). On November i Governor Eden
in a message to the Upper House told them that if at the approaching con-
ference the same regulation in regard to the pay of the clergy was adopted as
was proposed at the last session of the General Assembly in 1770, the ministers
would be reduced to such a state of indigence that he would not consent to such
a regulation (pp. 19-20).

The conference opened on November 4, 1771, with the Upper House repre-
sented by Benedict Calvert, Daniel Dulany, John Ridout, John Beale Bordley
and William Hayward, while Matthew Tilghman, John Hall, Charles Grahame,
Thomas Johnson, Samuel Chase, and Littleton Dennis appeared for the Lower
House (p. 42). John Hammond, the other conferee appointed by the lower
chamber was not present on the opening day (p. 138). William Paca was sub-
sequently added by the Lower House to those representing that legislative body
at the conference (p. 174). Benedict Calvert was chosen as chairman and James
Brooks as clerk of this conference (p. 42).

The conference began by the representatives of the Upper House submitting
seventeen propositions to the conferees of the Lower House. The first five of
these related to inspectors of tobacco with which propositions the men repre-
senting the lower chamber agreed only in part (pp. 42, 43-44, 144-145). Three
propositions about the tender and sale of tobacco were, however, agreed to by
the Lower House conferees, as were two propositions about the clerks of the
county courts and magistrates (pp. 42-43, 144-145). The propositions made
regarding the fees of officers and lawyers, and how they could be discharged,
as well as the Upper House's suggestion that "the Clergy to be left out of the
Bill in all Respects," were unanimously rejected by the Delegates of the Lower