The Upper House. 169

province where Proclamations have been issued by the Governor
& Council prohibiting the Exportation of Corn (as often as the
necessity of the Country required it) and it is obvious to all the
Inhabitants at the time when the proclamations above protested
against were Issued there was the greatest necessity to prevent the

Exportation of Corn it being so very scarce that most Families in

U. H. J.

the Country have suffered very much for want of it notwithstand-
ing the exportation was prevented & had the prohibition been de-
layed till an Assembly could have been called it would have been
too late to prevent the Exportation and in all likelyhood many of
the Inhabitants of this Province would have perished for want or
would have been obliged to remove themselves and Families to
neighbouring Colonies besides we are of Opinion that that part of
his Lordships Charter which relates to Ordinances seem to war-
rant such Proclamations.
Sign'd p Order Geo. Plater Cl Up Ho.

Philip Lee Esq^r appointed in a Committee to draw up an Address
to his Excellency presents the same to the House which being read
& approved of is as follows viz.

To his Excellency Benedict Leonard Calvert Governor of Maryland.
The humble Address of the Upper and Lower Houses of Assem-
bly
May it please your Excellency
From a Sence of your Excellencys ready disposition to the Wel-
fare and prosperity of this province we have the greatest Reason
to hope of your Excellencys kind Acceptance of this Application
The General Consent of the Provinces being reduced into the
most deplorable Circumstances by the miserable Condition in which
our Staple of Tobacco is at present has engaged the two Houses
of Assembly by their duty to their country to endeavour the re-
trieving of the province from such a State which no true lover of
it can view without the utmost Anguish In this Bill regard a Bill
for the Improvement of the Staple of Tobacco has passed the two
Houses but here we must beg leave to express our Surprize and
concern that any particular set of persons should not only think
themselves Injured by being included in such Bill in the same pro-
portion and in Common with the rest of the Inhabitants but also
have not been wanting in Attempts to frustrate the good designs
& Intentions of the Legislators
We shall always readily show our Difference and respect to the
Order & Ministry of the Clergy nor can we think we have acted in
any manner Inconsistent with these our Professions by obliging the

p. 301