Leonard Calvert was
instructed to bring all freemen together in Assembly and present for their
acceptance the substituted legislation.
Early in 1638 this Maryland Assembly met. The Governor put before it for
adoption the Proprietary's laws. The vote was taken. Governor and some
others were for, the remainder of the Assembly unanimously against, the
proposed legislation. There followed a year or two of struggle over this
question, but in the end the Proprietary in effect acknowledged defeat. The
colonists, through their Assembly, might thereafter propose laws to meet
their exigencies, and Governor Calvert, acting for his brother, should
approve or veto according to need.
When civil war between King and Parliament broke out in England, sentiment
in Maryland as in Virginia inclined toward the King. But that Puritan,
Non-conformist, and republican element that was in both colonies might be
expected to gain if, at home in England, the Parliamentary party gained. A
Royal Governor or a Lord Proprietary's Governor might alike be perplexed by
the political turmoil in the mother country. Leonard Calvert felt the need
of first-hand consultation with his brother. Leaving Giles Brent in his
place, he sailed for England, talked there with Baltimore himself,
perplexed and filled with foreboding, and returned to Maryland not greatly
wiser than when he went.
Maryland was soon convulsed by disorders which in many ways reflected the
unsettled conditions in England.
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