xxxiv Introduction.

former Speaker; Henry Ward from Cecil; and Arthur Lee from Charles; and
on October 6 to fill the place of Edward Dorsey from Frederick (pp. 353,
371), but elections to fill these vacancies did not take place until after this
session was over. Dorsey, although a resident of Annapolis, had for several
years represented Frederick County in the Assembly; he had died at Newport,
Rhode Island, where he had gone in the hope of restoring his health (Md.
Hist. Mag. XVIII, 159-160).

The Governor opened the session on September 26 with a speech to both
houses in which he declared that he had convened them because of a letter he
had received from General Robert Monckton, in command of his Majesty's
forces on Lake Erie and the Ohio, saying that it was absolutely necessary that
Maryland furnish two hundred men and officers, who, together with troops
from the neighboring colonies, would be used to relieve regular troops needed
elsewhere by General Amherst. Sharpe asked that this requisition be immedi-
ately complied with, so that prompt action might in a degree remove the un-
favorable opinion of the people of Maryland formed by his Majesty's generals
on account of the measures that had for some time been unhappily pursued
here (pp. 334, 352).

To this speech the Upper House replied with assurance of its fullest coopera-
tion (p. 335), and the Lower House with the promise that as soon as measures
have been devised to ease the landowners of the onerous tax about to be im-
posed under the 1756 Supply act, it would endeavor to do its duty to the King
as requested by General Monckton and the Governor (pp. 354-355). Mes-
sages were sent by the Governor to the Lower House on September 29. One
of these expressed his pleasure at the promise of the Lower House to further
the King's requirements to preserve his rights on Lake Erie and on the Ohio.
The other message informed the house that he had just received a letter from
General Amherst, dated at Montreal, September 9, telling "of the Motions of
the King's Forces under his Command since the 26th of August .... in
Consequence whereof, the whole Country of Canada was yielded to the Do-
minion of his Majesty .... on the 8th of this Month". Sharpe con-
gratulated the house upon this happy event, and upon the pleasure it would
feel in hearing the good news (p. 356). The house in its turn congratulated
the Governor, and ended its address with a quotation from the Governor's
message assuring him that "our Joy on this Occasion will not be exceeded
by the Joy of any of his Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects" (pp. 357-358).
The Lower House followed this with another address to the Governor asking
him "to lay before us (as is usual on like Occasions) a copy of General
Monckton's letter" (p. 360). This he did. In this letter dated at Fort Pitt,
August 21, 1760, Monckton requested Sharpe's "utmost endeavors" to have
Maryland furnish him two hundred men with officers, "as it cannot be ex-
pected that General Amherst will be able to spare any of the regular Troops
now with him for the Winter Garrisons of the posts in this department" (p.
362).

The Lower House ordered its committee to bring in a Supply bill for his
Majesty's Service. It again went through the usual routine in the preparation