Introduction. xciii

time during sessions within which such petitions must be presented; this
was to be not later than five days from the opening of a new session. It
also resolved against treating at elections, as well as against other forms of
election bribery. It was also unanimously resolved that when any candidate,
either before an election, or at the time of an election, either himself or on
his behalf, or at his charge or with his privity or consent, allowed money,
meat, drink, entertainment, or provisions to be given to any elector, that his
election would be declared void. It was also resolved, but by a close vote of
15 to 14, that any person not a candidate, who should be guilty of giving to
any elector what is forbidden to a candidate to give, shall be deemed guilty of
bribery as well as of a breach of the privileges of this house, and be punished
accordingly (pp. 417-418).

THE QUARANTINE LAW

An act establishing a quarantine, the first legislation of this kind in the
Province, against overcrowded vessels bringing indentured servants and con-
victs in Maryland, was passed at the November-December, 1766, session.
This measure, which was entitled "An Act to Oblige Infected Ships and other
Vessels coming into the Province to perform Quarantine", was strenuously
opposed by the English contractors who held contracts with the British Govern-
ment to transport criminals from Great Britain to Maryland, and by their
Maryland representative or factor, Thomas Ringgold, the Kent County mer-
chant and prominent popular leader in the Lower House. A similar Quarantine
act was in existence in Virginia. The act provided that the master of any vessel
bringing in more than thirty servants or passengers be required to make oath
before the Collector or Naval Officer where the vessel shall first enter "that
neither the Small Pox, Gaol Fever, Yellow Fever, Flux, or any other such
Dangerous Infectious Discharges, is or hath been on such Ship or Vessel on her
Passage"; and that if a vessel for this reason was held up for forty-eight hours,
a full information must be sent to the Governor who would determine at what
place and for how long quarantine should be maintained before any person on
board might come ashore; and the master was required to disclose the number
of servants and passengers on board. Heavy penalties were imposed upon
masters making false returns and upon persons bringing and landing servants
before a certificate of entry had been obtained (pp. 262-264).

The bill, before passage, had been the subject of considerable controversy
in the Lower House. After introduction it was recommitted for amendments,
the nature of which the journal does not disclose, and was finally passed by vote
of 27 to 5; those opposed included Thomas Ringgold and three other Eastern
Shore members (pp. 157, 184, 187, 207). When it reached the Upper House
it was amended, raising the number of servants on board a vessel which made
it subject to quarantine from twenty to thirty (pp. 127, 157, 184, 197, 207,
209, 213, 214). After the passage of the law strenuous, although unsuccessful
efforts, were made by the English contractors to have it dissented to by the
Proprietary, or failing this, annulled by the Crown. Passed with a three year
time limit it was, however, continued in 1769; and several times thereafter.