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394 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. III
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[Sharpe to Pitt.]
Annapolis the 14th April 1760.
Sir.
I now do myself the honour to inform you that having con-
vened the Assembly of this Province, immediately on the
Receit of your Letter dated the 7th of Iany I communicated to
them the Contents of it, pressing them at the same time to
embrace the Opportunity which it offered them of effacing the
Remembrance of their past Failures & of manifesting their
Duty Affection & Gratitude to our most gracious Sovereign
& to the mother Country by raising & supporting such a
Number of Troops to assist in the Operations of the ensuing
Campaign as His Majesty was pleased to expect from this
Province & as the Inhabitants can well afford to furnish, but
Sir tis with concern I must also inform you that an Address
which the members of the Lower House sent me the second
Day after they met gave me great reason to apprehend, &
some Resolves which the House made soon afterwards left me
no room to doubt but they were determined at all Events to
avoid complying with His Majesty's Requisition, for altho I
laid before them together with Your Letter the Opinion of
His Majesty's Attorney General Mr Pratt on the Supply Bill
which they had at several times within these three years
offered to the Upper House in which Opinion he had Re-
marked on several Parts of the Bill & declared it to be such a
one as the other Branches of our Legislature could not con-
sistent with Honour or their Duty agree to, yet the Gentle-
men of the Lower House Resolved that they would again offer
the same Bill & that as they could not agree in opinion with
Mr Pratt that it was either unreasonable or unconstitutional
they would still adhere to it; Accordingly they sent their
Bill a few Days afterwards to the Gentlemen of the Upper
House not expecting their Concurrence, but conceiving that it
would have a better Appearance for them to Vote Supplies &
then propose to raise them by a Bill which they knew would
be rejected than at once to declare themselves entirely averse
to granting any Money for His Majesty's Service. Such being
the Resolutions of the Lower House, & the Gentlemen of the
Upper House being confirmed by Mr Pratt's Remarks &
Observations in the opinion which they always entertained of
the Bill that was now for the sixth time offered them, it is I
imagine almost unnecessary for me to add that they have
again broke up without enabling me to send General Amherst
or the Officer that is appointed to Command His Majesty's
Forces in this Part of America the least Assistance; nor can I
since the opinion of His Majesty's Attorney General hath had
so little weight with them flatter myself that they will be ever
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