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28 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Calvert
Papers.
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Goverment For Lord Baltimore is but his Majesty's Heredi-
tary Govr and at most has but the Utile Dominum. So that
it will always be the Kings Govermt & Consequently intended
to be & Provided for by any Act raising a Support for his
Majesty's Goverment, In whatsoever hands the Administra-
tion is.
The next thing concluded by the Comittee is, " That when
the Govermt was restored to the Lord Proprietor the Act of
Gauge & Tare was made for Support of his Lordps Govermt &
the other uses therein Expressed." It is certain the aforesaid
Act Intituled An Act Ascertaining the Gauge & Tare of
Tobacco Hogshds was made after Lord Baltimore was Admitted
to the Administration of the Govermt and by that Act a Sup-
port of Govermt was raised But upon Perusal of that Act It
cannot appear or be suggested, that that Act was made upon an
opinion or Iudgemt that the Act of 1704 Did not provide for
the support of the Govr as far as it went. But the true Reason
of making such Act seems to be, Because the Assembly for the
Reasons mentd In that Act ludged it Necessary to Increase
the Support of Govermt from 12d to 15d pr Hogshd and also
were desirous to loyn the composition and Agreemt of the
country with his Lordp for his Quit-Rents & Alenation fines
&c as well as the Gauge & Tare of Tobacco Hogshd in the
same Act.
The Report mentions "That by what Acts appear to them
at all times made for the Support of his Lordps Govermt &c.
the same has been loined with a consideration for his Quit-
Rents & Alienation fines & wh made it appear to the comittee
that the Legislators always deemed their Granting towards the
support of his Lordps Govermt as a Mixed Consideration not
only for that Particular use but towards a Compensation of the
others likewise" What Acts did or did not Appear to them
is Immaterial But the Fact wh is Endeavoured to be insinuated
of a Mixed Consideration in such Acts is false. For by the
Act made in 1638 Intituled "An Act Ordaining certain Laws
for the Govermt of this Province " Also another Act made in
1641 Intituled An Act for Grantg of one Shilling and by another
Act made made in 1642 Intituled "An Act for support of
Govermts These were Dutys laid for Support of Govermt
witht any other Consideration than Gratitude to the Lord Pro-
prietor for His Great Charge & care wh his Lordp had been put
in Maintaing the Govermt & Protectg the Inhabitants in their
Persons Rights & Liberties &c. as Expressed in the said Act
of 1641. witht Inference of a Mixed Consideration Suggested
in the Report. It seems as if the Comittee imagined the
Govermt when Administred by the Lord Baltimore or his
Deputys ought not to be supported Unless his Lordp wod make
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