256 Assembly Proceedings, August 19-September 6, 1731.

U. H. J.

requires the Speaker and the whole House to attend him in the
Councill Chamber.
The Speaker and the whole House Accordingly Attend on His
Excellency to whom he is pleased to make the following Speech.

p. 105

Gentlemen of the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly

The near Approach of the time, when your last Tobacco Law will
Expire, as to the Stint, I hope will induce you to a Serious Consider-
ation upon the State of your Staple: If no immediate Visible Im-
provem^t thereof by Your last Law has yet Approved; That need
not, I think Discourage you, The short Continuance of it, could not
produce any Considerable Effects, a Trade reduced to such a very
Languid State can only revive by Degrees; This I only mention, to
obviate an Objection made in Generall by some. As that our late
Tobacco Law hath done no Good: If any better Medium of relief can
be found to Succour Our Staple, Happy shall we all be in the blessed
Discovery; Ye must all have heard what our Merchants write on
this Subject, which may be, I think, reduced to this Consideration,
that, worse, may yet be worse, If we do not on our parts do some
thing to prevent it.
Another matter I must mention, wherein I desire your kind advice
and Assistance, I have had some Queries sent to me by the Lords
Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, Two whereof I shall
Communicate unto you; as the Answers thereto may be of Important
Relation to this Country, your joynt advice and Information thereon
will be Acceptable to me, I must be pressing to you on this Subject,
having reason to think, that full and Speedy Answers to those
Queries may be very much desired at home and may possibly prove
of use to your Selves.
As this is likely to be the last Session before my Departure for
England, I earnestly recommend to you such prudent and wise Course
of proceeding therein as that I may be able when at Home, to make
a Report Creditable and usefull; For as my Duty will Oblige me to
render one faithfull & Exact, so will my true affection to this Prov-
ince make me very Desirous that it should prove pleasing to our
Superiors at home, and thereby Advantageous to the Good People
Here.

p. 106

Let then real Loyalty to our most Gracious Sovereigne, Regardfull
Duty to Our Lord Proprietary and his Government here, with
Mutuall Justice and good Nature amongst your selves animate &
direct Your Councills; hence and hence only, shall arise the Glory
& Prosperity of the Province of Maryland.

M^r Beale and M^r Warfield from the lower House Acquaint His
Excellency that the House hath Appointed M^r Michael Macnemara
their Clerk and Hopes for His Excellencys Approbation; His Excel-