The Lower House. 575

They return and acquaint M^r Speaker they see him qualified in the
usual manner
The Gentleman took his place in the House
Col^o Hammond from the Upper House delivers M^r Speaker the
following Message (See page 509.)
M^r Speaker communicated to the House the following Answer
from his Excellency to the Address of this House Viz. (See page
513.)

L. H. J.

Lib, No. 46

Ordered that the Clerk of this House Enter the several Accounts
of the Commissioners or Trustees of the Paper Currency residing in
England as they are transmitted and that he be allowed a reasonable
Satisfaction for the same
The Address to his most Excellent Majesty having been Ordered
to be Entred on the Journal, was as followeth (viz.)
To the Kings most Excellent Majesty in Council
The Address and Petition of the House of Delegates of the
Freemen of the Province of Maryland in General Assembly Con-
vened
Most humbly Sheweth
That your Majestys Faithful and Loyal Subjects the Inhabitants
of the Province of Maryland daily suffer many Aggrievances Extor-
tions and Oppressions under the Proprietary Government of the
Right Honourable the Lord Baron of Baltimore his Governor
Ministers and Officers that our Rights as British Subjects are In-
vaded by having Taxes laid upon Us without any Law and Ordi-
nances made by Our Proprietary or his Governor with the Advice
of a Council of his own Choosing and who share in the Spoils of the
People by holding the Principal Offices in the Government Imposed
on us as Laws that ever since the Year Seventeen hundred and thirty
three his Lordships Officers have by his directions Levied and still

p. 131

Continue to Levy a Tax of twelve Pence Sterling on every Hogshead
of Tobacco exported out this Province without any Law that we
know either of this Province or Great Britain for their so doing
which Money amounting in the whole to a very large Sum his Lord-
ship receives and converts to his own Use
That he also unlawfully exacts and takes a Tax of Fourteen Pence
for every Ton of Burthen of all Vessels Trading in or to this
Province and not properly belonging thereto and the same also applys
to his own use which greatly affects the Trade and Interest as well
of Your Majestys Subjects of Maryland as those of Great Britain
and other Colonies trading into this Province
That his Lordship or his Governor in his Absence with the Advice
of his Council take upon themselves Arbitrarily to Settle and Assess
the Fees in the Courts of Justice and other Publick Offices of the
Government by Way of Proclamation and refuse to Consent to any

p. 132