Maryland was a proprietery colony during the entire colonial period, with the Calvert (Lord Baltimore) family holding hereditary authority over the colony's government. The legitimate Calvert line died out in 1771, with the Proprietorship initially being inherited by the last Lord Baltimore's illegitmate son, Henry Harford, and later being disputed by Harford's brother-in-law Sir Robert Eden, who had also served as Governor of Maryland on behalf of the Proprietors.
From what I gather, Harford lived in London throughout the 1770s, while Eden went into exile in England in 1776 after trying and failing to suppress revolutionary majority in the legislature.
Both Harford and Eden had apparently been popular in Maryland prior to the revolution, in Eden's case to the point that the revolutionary government of Maryland refused instructions from the Continental Congress to arrest Eden.
Suppose that either Eden or Harford had supported the revolution, with either Eden supporting the assembly in 1774 rather than trying to suppress it, or Harford coming to Maryland and supporting the Assembly after Eden tried to dissolve it. Could that lead to Maryland continuing on a proprietary model of government during and after the revolution, and what would be the consequences if it did?
From what I gather, Harford lived in London throughout the 1770s, while Eden went into exile in England in 1776 after trying and failing to suppress revolutionary majority in the legislature.
Both Harford and Eden had apparently been popular in Maryland prior to the revolution, in Eden's case to the point that the revolutionary government of Maryland refused instructions from the Continental Congress to arrest Eden.
Suppose that either Eden or Harford had supported the revolution, with either Eden supporting the assembly in 1774 rather than trying to suppress it, or Harford coming to Maryland and supporting the Assembly after Eden tried to dissolve it. Could that lead to Maryland continuing on a proprietary model of government during and after the revolution, and what would be the consequences if it did?