446 Appendix,

Calvert
Paper

No. 2954

p. 22.

Royal order in Council, or that Act either in the whole or in part,
directly or indirectly; But as the 40 p^r poll was by that Act directed
to be always paid to the Clergy by each Taxable person so it ought
to remain & continue.
2^dly That if the Clergy were to admit the Assembly had power
to alter the Act so solemnly confirm'd, the Assembly may if they see
occasion, alter or even take away the whole, or what part they
please, of the Remainder of the Clergy's Allowance; & altho y^r
Pet^rs are well assured they shou'd never want just releif from y^r
Ldsp's repeal of such Act, yet the forcing your pet^ers to those repeated
& expensive applications for that purpose, from year to year, will
produce much the same consequence as being depriv'd of their whole
maintenance.
3^dly That if this matter were within the power of the Assembly, yet
what the Assembly have done by this last Act is conceiv'd to be very
unreasonable in depriving a Body of People of their Property, with^t
their consent, w^ch y^r Pet^ers conceive is beyond what is ever done by
the highest Legislature in the Brittish Constitution.
4^thly The Choice given to the people to pay in which of the 4 Grains
they please, at the price therein appointed with^t regard to any
Alteration of price is another hardship upon the Clergy, who may be
paid the 1/4 of their maintenance in such of the s^d grains as shall be,
for the time being, the cheapest & most under the price appointed
by the Act.

p. 23

5^thly But if the paym^t were really an Equivalent, & so wou'd con-
tinue during the time of the Act, yet even then the hardship wou'd
be very great upon the Clergy, who can never be prepared or know,
till the very time of Payment comes, what they shall be paid in, & who
must afterwards of necessity employ a great part of their time in
bartering away their Grain for Rum, & keep a Storehouse at every
Parsonage to retail it again; w^ch is the only way they can Propose
to raise their Quarter of their subsistance.
6^thly If what is proposed as an Equivalent were really so, Your
Pet^ers humbly conceive the Assembly wou'd not have taken such
measures as they have, Reenacting what y^r Ldsp had just Repeal'd,
& by Tacking it to a public Bill w^ch not only concerns the Country,
but seems to take some care of y^r Ldsp's Revenue, nor, in such case,
can any Sufficient reason be shewn why the People might not retail
their grain or dispose of it themselves as well as the Clergy; But if it
really be not an Equivalent, as the Proceedings of the Assembly
herein seem plainly to Demonstrate, y^r Pet^ers Submit whether it
shou'd be thus repeatedly attempted to be forced upon the Clergy,
against their consent, in prejudice of their property, & in Violation
of the aforementioned Act, Order of Council, & y^r Ldsp's pleasure
signify'd as aforesaid.