in hand with the former. We are but dupes to the weakness and wickedness of human nature, if, while we fight and defend ourselves against a foreign slavery, we suffer a domestick one to spring up in our own country, though it may not be matured till succeeding generations. It will be a poor consolation to posterity that we prevented their being under the tyranny of Great Britain, unless we secure them, as far as it is in the power of mortals, from every other tyranny. Our efforts should be levelled against tyranny itself, though directed in the first place against British tyranny. Never had a people a fairer opportunity of establishing freedom upon the broadest and firmest bottom. Do we not lose the golden opportunity by neglecting to defend the Colony, or to improve the principles of our avowed Constitution, or to support Government established agreeable to such principles? Our avowed Constitution is, that all power rests in the people at large, but that, for the benefit of society, the same must be delegated to a select number of individuals, freely and fairly chosen by the majority of the whole, to whom they are answerable for the due discharge of the trusts committed to them, and by whom they must be supported in such discharge, to prevent the anarchy that would otherwise ensue. The foundation principle on which this Constitution rests, is that grand bulwark of liberty, an equal representation. But though an equal representation has been much talked of by the friends of liberty, it has only existed in theory. This Colony has been as fairly represented as, if not more than, any other part of the world; but it did not enjoy the chance of an equal representation till the late Assembly nobly provided for it, by the act allowing our towns to increase the number of their Representatives, according to a certain proportion of electors. The country should ever give the Assembly credit for that act, which, though not perfect, may lead on to one that is so. Be it far from an individual to dictate to the publick; but 1 would submit it to the serious consideration of all, whether the following plan, if adopted, would not bring us to and secure us in the enjoyment of an equal representation. Let the General Court consider and fix the number of Representatives proper to form a future House, provided only that it shall not be less than the last. Let the inhabitants of the Colony having a right to vote according to the present qualification, (including, as nearly as possible, the absentees with the Army or upon other business,) be divided by the number of Representatives, that it may be from thence seen what should be the number of electors for each Representative; but as many individuals having a right to vote in elections will always be absent, and there will be odd numbers in towns, let the number of electors be fixed proportionably lower, that so the House may be sufficiently large. Should it happen that two or more neighbouring towns or districts should not have singly a proper number of voters, let them join till they have sufficient, and while they continue in that state, let the Representative be chosen alternately out of the several towns or districts, according to a rotation that shall be agreed upon; if each town or district supplies an equal number of electors, or first from the town or district having the greatest number, then from that having the next greater, and so on. Where a town or district has not the requisite number of Representatives, nor butts upon one or more in the like circumstances, by joining with which it shall obtain a representation, let it have the right of voting with an adjoining town, and of having the Representative chosen out of it, once in a course of years, answering to the proportion of its voters. Let it be further settled that every full number of voters shall have a right of sending a Representative, by which means the House of Assembly will increase in proportion with the increase of inhabitants. An equal representation, as far as attainable, being in this way secured through the Colony, let the Representatives be no longer paid by their respective towns, but by the Colony, which will obviate the objections made by towns at times against sending Representatives from incapacity, through extraordinary expenses, and the like. That the Colony may have the publick business despatched, let the members be paid at a certain rate per annum, giving them the present allowance for a reasonable number of days; this regulation will prevent our having long sessions and little done. Many, when they find that they shall lose by protracting, will forward the service of the publick. And that members may not be paid without attending, let there be a deduction of more than the present allowance per day for every day they are absent without the leave of the House or through sickness; this will oblige men to decline the honour when they mean not, or are too much engaged, to do the business of Representatives. That I may not be tedious, I shall break off for the present; still continuing yours,

A WATCHMAN.

June 12, 1776.

To the Honourable the Delegates of the Province of M ARY-LAND, now met in Convention:

The Petition of TURBUTT BETTON, Jr., of QUEEN ANNE’S County, showeth:

That since the inhabitants of this Province have been reduced to the disagreeable necessity of taking arms in defence of their injured liberty, your Petitioner hath relied on the resolutions of the Covention of this Province, from time to time made, as the means, in a great degree, whereby redress of grievances may be obtained, and anarchy and confusion happily avoided. Under these impressions, your Petitioner, heretofore enrolled as a private in Captain Thomas Wright’s company of Militia, in Queen Anne’s County, cheerfully submitted to do duty in that station, being firmly resolved to support the authority of the Convention to the utmost of his power. That the said Thomas Wright hath been appointed Colonel of the battalion to which the said company belongs, since which the honourable the Council of Safety of this Province have appointed James Bordley Captain, John Kent First Lieutenant, James Earle Second Lieutenant, and Nathan Brown Ensign, of the said company; but a majority of the same company, regardless of the resolutions and appointments of the Convention and Council of Safety, have refused to acknowledge the Field Officers of the said battalion appointed by the Convention, or to act under them, and have nominated, acted under, and appointed other Field Officers in their stead; and have also refused to acknowledge and act under the said Second Lieutenant and Ensign appointed by the Council of Safety, but have also nominated and acted under others, appointed by themselves.

Your Petitioner farther showeth, that he is still desirous of conforming to the resolutions and orders of the Convention and Council of Safety, and is ready to join in defence and support of their authority at the utmost hazard; but your Petitioner hath refused to muster, either in battalion or the company aforesaid, under other officers than those appointed by the Convention and Council of Safety, conceiving that it is his duty to discountenance, as much as he can, any authority set up in opposition to and in defiance of their power. That the said Captain and First Lieutenant, notwithstanding they have received their own commissions from the Council of Safety, yet openly and avowedly countenance the irregular proceedings aforesaid, by refusing to acknowledge the officers appointed by the Convention and the Council of Safety, and acknowledging and acting with those appointed by the people, in opposition to their authority; yet, under colour of another resolution of the Convention, have proceeded to fine your Petitioner the sum of fifteen shillings for refusing to muster under other officers than those appointed aforesaid by the Council of Safety. That your Petitioner, conceiving the said fine to have been irregularly and unjustifiably imposed on him, refused to pay the same; whereupon the said Captain Bordley applied to the Committee of Observation in this County, who have granted him a warrant, (a copy whereof is hereunto annexed,) empowering him to distrain and sell your Petitioner’s effects for the payment thereof; which said warrant is now in the hands of one of the Sergeants of the said company to be executed; and your Petitioner is apprehensive his effects will be taken and sold by virtue thereof, immediately on the recess of this Convention; and therefore humbly hopes your Honours will take the premises aforesaid into consideration, and take such order therein for your Petitioner’s relief as in your wisdom shall seem meet, and so forth.

TURBUTT BETTON.

In Committee of Observation, June 13, 1776.

Captain James Bordley having certified that Turbutt Betton, Jun., had been fined the sum of fifteen shillings, for his non-appearance at the muster-field on four several days, and had refused to pay his fines, at three shillings and nine pence each day: These are to authorize and empower you to levy