454 Assembly Proceedings, April 23-June 5, 1740.

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper
No. 735

but to be destructive to the Rights of Your Constituents, you Gentle-
men can best clear up
You say very truly that Our first and Principal Reason for not
concurring with the Bill for Arms &c was, because It ought to sub-
sist for a determined time, and to the End of the next Session, and
your Offers of the Alternatives which you make in Relation to that
Bill without answering the Arguments We used in Our Message to
support such a Continuance fully perswade Us that We were in the
Right to insist on such a Continuance, and that you yourselves
thought so; But your not agreeing to such a Continuance seems to
arise from your Apprehensions that Acts made for a determined time,
and to the End of the next Session although temporary Laws,
might endure as long as any particular Branch of the Legislature
thinks proper, This Reason, if good in this Case, may be so in Others,
and perhaps for the future prevent the Continuance of any Law
whatsoever by force of such a Duration contrary to the Inclination
of any Part of the Legislature

p. 38

We must own several of us enjoy Places of Trust and Profit under
the Lord Proprietary, from whence you would insinuate a very
blameable Subserviency: Such Language is so common from those
out of the Place to those in Place that It deserves no other Notice
from Us, than that your often hinting at Our Places convinces Us
that they are generally uppermost in your Thoughts, and that you
are not so much displeased with the Places, as with Those that have
them, which you no doubt think may be supplyed with some more
worthy Persons of your Acquaintance Although We are unwilling
to own or agree with you in this, yet We really wish for the Quiet
and Happiness of the Country, His Lordship had a few more Places
worth the Acceptance of some other Persons besides Ourselves; We
cannot comprehend what You would have Us understand when you
talk "of being deprived of a Session for the Sake of the Act of Arms"
&c. " and another Act of the like kind un purpose to drive you into
things inconsistent with the Interest of the Province " when you may
be pleased to explain the Particulars of this Assertion we hope to
be able to give it an Answer, but at present this Art of dealing in
Generals renders your Expression too mysterious for Our Ca-
pacitys
We are now come to the only thing you have hitherto agreed
with us in, which is our Assertion of the Uncertainty how long War
with Spain will continue or how soon another with France may begin
if not already proclaimed And therefore you have declared Your-
selves ready to agree either to a double or larger Sum for the De-
fence of the Province, or to a longer time so as there may be a fixed
Time of Determination: Our Desires are too strong, that His
Majestys Expectations of raising Forces in this Province for his
Service may not be disappointed, to overlook these alternative Offers