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In my Letter dated the 9th of Novr I advised you of the
Measures which the Lower House was then pursuing & of
what I expected would be the Event. I likewise sent you an
Account of every thing that had passed between them & me
from the Beginning of the preceeding Session till that time with
respect to Fort Cumberland. This Account (in the form of a
Narrative) I have now brought down to the 16th of Decr when
the Assembly was prorogued and by a Vessel that was bound
to Liverpool I took the Liberty to send His Lordship a Copy
the Instant I had finished it. Lest that should be miscarried I
herewith send you another together with a Copy of the Bill
that was prepared in the Lower House for raising a Supply
but returned by the Upper without any Reasons they being
unanimously of opinion that every Part of it was exceptionable
& many most iniquitous and unjust that several Parts of it
were purposely calculated to weaken the Government by
putting too great a Share of Power into the hands of the
People after the Pensilvania Plan & that after all, tho' the
Money proposed to be raised was said to be granted for the
Support of Troops for His Majesty's Service yet that by
restraining the Service of those Troops to a particular Spot
His Majesty's Service must in fact be crampt and retarded while
the King's undoubted prerogative was most presumptuously
invaded. I have agreeable to the Desire of the Lower House
sent a Copy of their Bill to the Earl of Loudoun from which
I am well assured His Ldp will see clearly that His Majestys
Service is not interrupted or clog'd in this Government by
any private Instructions or (as they speak in Pensilvania) by
Proprietary Measures; but that in Truth the Assembly is
averse to giving Money at all. It would not be very unnatural
I think to conclude from their Attempt to assume or take into
their own Hands the Power or Right of directing how such
Troops as they would agree to support should act, that they
had really forgot that I am sufficiently impowered by his
Lordship's Commission & the Laws of the Province to compel
every Individual to march to any part where I may Judge
their Service necessary, & that if no more than a few Men to
range on our Frontiers are wanting I need not apply for them
to the Lower House of Assembly, I am very sorry to be laid
under the Necessity of protecting the Frontier Inhabitants
with Militia only but since the Earl of Loudoun has under-
taken to support a Garrison at Fort Cumberland I hope I
shall be able to protect them effectually & it is not improbable
I think that by the Militia's being thus called upon to defend
their Country they will in time be inspired with a Fondness
for Military Reputation & that a Man will be the better
esteemed for having served a while on the Frontiers; should
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