Soon after he commenced practice at the bar Mr. Paca was elected to the Maryland legislature and became a very useful member. In 1771 he was one of the committee of three that prepared a letter of thanks to Charles Carroll for his able advocacy of the cause of freedom in a written controversy with the royal governor and his subordinates. In that letter the committee expressed a determination never to submit to taxation without representation or to the regulation of taxes by the executive authority--thus furnishing the crown with an index of the public mind in advance of the text. Mr. Paca was a member of the Congress of 1774 which was rendered illustrious by proceedings of propriety and wisdom emanating from minds like his. Upon such men we can always rely in times of peril. They view everything in the calm sunshine of reason and justice being never overwhelmed by sudden emotions or angry passions. Ever upon the _terra firma_ of prudence ready for action they are prepared to render assistance to those whose loftier barks often run into the breakers and need a cable from on shore to haul them in. Mr. Paca was continued in Congress until 1778 and rendered valuable service to his country. In 1775 he joined Mr. Chase in furnishing a new military corps with rifles to the amount of nearly a thousand dollars from their private funds. He devoted his time, talents and fortune to the cause of freedom. His examples had a powerful influence upon reflecting men. All had unlimited confidence in his opinions--always deliberately formed. When the Declaration of Independence was proposed his feelings and views were decidedly in its favor but his instructions were opposed to it. The Maryland members of Assembly considered the project wild--believing the power of the mother country would crush all opposition in embryo. Redress they fondly but vainly hoped for. The British authorities soon furnished arguments steeped in blood that removed all restrictions and left Mr. Paca and his colleagues to act freely. The first decided vote in favor of stringent measures was on the 28th of May 1776 at which time the Chaplain of the Maryland Assembly was directed not to pray for the King. As trifling as this may now appear it then had a favorable and potent influence upon the people. When the glorious day arrived to decide the fate of the Chart of Liberty Mr. Paca was at his post and enrolled his name with the apostles of FREEDOM whose fame will continue to rise in peerless majesty until the last trump of time shall sound its closing notes and assemble the world of mankind in one grand army for the final inspection of the great Jehovah.