”CONTESTED ELECTIONS.

When most of the highways were bridle-paths, it might be supposed that the planters did not meet much in public. Yet they never missed a race, a court-day, an election, or an assembly ball. The interest in elections was very strong, liquor flowed in abundance, and was so much abused that the act of treating voters was legally determined to be bribery. Candidates in those days, as now, issued flaming patriotic addresses to the electors, but it is not believed that they use so many Latin quotations now as then. The discussions on the stump and at the hustings were hot and acrimonious, and, as there was much drinking, there was much fighting also. The voting was viva voce. The legislature did not hesitate to expel delegates elected by means of bribery or ‘undue influence.’ On October 14,1771, the Lower House of Assembly took into consideration a petition from some of the citizens of Charles County, complaining of an undue election of Captain Francis Ware and Mr. Josias Hawkins, Jr. The charge against them was for ‘treating;’ it was sustained by the evidence, and the House, by the Speaker, signified to the two gentlemen that ‘their attendance was no longer required.’ ”

Reference Data:

History of Maryland, by John Thomas Scharf, 1879, page 97