WILLIAM PACA.

WILLIAM PACA, the second son of John Paca, of Harford county, in the state of Maryland, was born on the thirtyfirst of October, in the year 1740,

His father was possessed of large estates, and held an office of trust and profit under the provincial government; and being sensible of the advantages of a good education, spared no expense or pains to procure for his children the best instruction that the country could supply.

William was sent to the college at Philadelphia, then in high repute under the presiding care of the learned and eloquent Dr. William Smith, and was placed under the special superintendence of colonel White, father of the venerable bishop White, who watched over him with parental anxiety.

He was graduated as a bachelor of arts on the eighth of June, 1759, in the nineteenth year of his age, and immediately afterwards commenced the study of the law, at Annapolis, in the office of Stephen Bordley, one of the most profound lawyers of his time.

Mr. Paca continued to be an industrious student for four years, in the course of which period he contracted a matri

monial engagement with Miss Mary Chew, daughter of Samuel Chew, a gentleman of distinguished family and large fortune, residing in Ann Arundel county.

To this lady he was united in May, 1761. He had the misfortune to lose her after a few years of happy union, at the beginning of the revolution. They had five children, all of whom died young, except their son John P. Paca who still survives, and married Miss Juliana Tilghman, daughter of Richard Tilghman, by whom he has several child

ren.

Mr. Paca was admitted to the bar, at the provincial court, on the eleventh of April, 1764, and established himself at Annapolis, where he soon became eminent in his profession. He had been licensed to practise in the mayor's court in 1761, and his only competitors residing at Annapolis, were John Price and Samuel Chase, with the latter of whom, afterwards highly distinguished in the revolution, he contracted an intimate friendship, which endured without interruption until they were separated by death. They both became members of the provincial legislature, where many opportunities were afforded for the display of their abilities, and their minds were trained in the exercise of such controversial powers as they had occasion frequently and beneficially to use, in after life.

Mr. Paca appeared in the year 1771, as the representative, jointly with Mr. Matthias Hammond, of the citizens of Annapolis, in a public letter of thanks to Mr. Charles Carroll, for his exertions" as an advocate for liberty," in a paper war that had been carried on with great spirit, on the question of the right of the governor to regulate the fees of civil officers by proclamation.

The citizens having chosen those two young men to be their members of the legislature, at the same time appointed them to convey their approbation to the able advocate of the rights of the people, in opposition to the prerogative of the crown; and their letter to Mr. Carroll asserts the doctrine, which was still to be established through years of bloodshed and privation, that the imposition or regulation of a tax, by executive authority, was an act of tyranny not to be endured. The occasion which led to this early assertion of sound principles, and which subsequently produced an important occurrence in which Mr. Paca was the chief actor, deserves some explanation and detail. To understand it fully it will be necessary to advert to the organization of the provincial government, and the means possessed by the government and people to maintain or resist oppression.

The government, as established by the charter in 1632, although well guarded against any interference on the part of the king and parliament over its domestic concerns, did not promise the same security against proprietary usurpation. The people had no share in the administration, except that the popular legislative branch belonged exclusively to them; no law could be passed without their consent. This privilege was exercised by deputies, duly elected by the people, and forming the house of burgesses," or lower house of assembly. There was a second legislative branch, called the upper house, the members of which held their places at the will of the proprietor, as did every other officer in the government, down to the lowest constable.

The proprietor himself generally resided in England, and exercised a power of dissenting from laws, after they had passed through all the authorities here; and his governor, in