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

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper
No. 735

desired us to read over again) " that you did not propose the Bill
for Arms &c generally for any Number of years with a fixed De-
termination, but only for such a Term as the present Juncture may
require " But should your own Interpretation be put on these
Words, you have not urged One Argument or alledged One Reason
to shew, that the Necessity of the present Juncture of Affairs does
not require the Continuance of nine years, nor indeed can you with
any Consistency to your former Admission make any pretence
against the Length of Time, for by the above Words extracted from
your former Message, you agree with us, " that it is uncertain how
long War with Spain will continue, or how soon Another with
France may begin " And if We are in such a dangerous State of
Uncertainty, how can the Term of Nine years be said to be too
long for a Fund, which does not raise 300£ Sterl p Annum clear of
Deductions for Arms &c for Defence of the Province: Although,
Gentlemen, you despair of the Goodness of any Arguments to con-
vince us, that the Necessity of the present Juncture cannot require
Nine years Continuance, yet as you found, by offering- to Our
Choice the Two Alternatives, you could draw Us from Our Reso-
lution of adhering to the next Session, you now expect by throwing

p. 50

the Bait (as you imagine) of Six Pence or any lesser Sum (Greater
we suppose you meant) for Two years in our Way, we shall surely
swallow it: But we plainly tell you we cannot accept what you
mention for many Reasons: In the first Place as there ought to be a
Consistency observed in the Behaviour of the several Branches of
the Legislature, we cannot think but, that, tho from our dutiful
Regard to his Majestys immediate Service in raising Forces, we
were prevail'd with to recede from our first Resolution and accept
one of your Alternatives, yet if we should now relinquish our Choice
we might be thought too unstable in our proceedings, and never know
where to stop In the next place how can we be sure you are in
earnest? We thought the greatest Reliance might have been had
on your Compliance, without the least Hesitation, to any choice we
should make of the Alternatives But we are taught by Experience
not to be too credulous, but to persist in what we have so reasonably
fixed on: And there is a further (and of it self) a sufficient Motive,
why we should not shorten the nine years by any Abatement what-
ever, and that is, the certain Testimony you have given us at the
last, and this Meeting of the Assembly, and now again by your new
Offer of Two Years, that your only aim is to procure, upon any
Terms, that Law for Arms, &c^a for the Defence of this province to
be totally dropt; we are so fully perswaded of This, that we cannot
doubt you might be induced to give any greater Sum whatsoever, or
lay any greater Load on the People, so as you could compass that
Design; This Earnestness of yours must be a very great Surprize to
every one, since the Money appropriated to be raised by that Act