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

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper

No. 735

intimated to you our then and present Opinions " that if we were
in the least Backward in consulting our own Safety as well as we
could against all possible Accidents, our Offer of furnishing Money
to encourage Levies for his Majestys Service abroad, would be
rather thought to proceed from a pretended Zeal, than Duty to his
Majesty, since it might be interpreted, we did not think Our Preser-
vation or Happiness consisted in any Defence against the French,
and that the more men and money we spared for one Service, the less
we might have for the other, and consequently this Province might
be the easier prey to an invading Enemy; " And further Gentlemen
you will be pleased to remember, that for the sake of a Bill to en-
courage the Forces, we receeded from our first Resolution and made
choice of one of your Alternatives.
Our mention of the Statutes was to shew (what cannot be de-
sired) that Money Acts of Parliament were often limited to a
certain Time and to the end of the next Session; and in order to
evade the Force of our Applying the Usage in such Acts to this

Bill, you would liken this Bill to some Acts of Parliament, without

which you say, the Government of Great Britain could not sub-
sist, and from thence conclude, that the necessity of this Act for
Arms &c. if limited to a determined time, might secure the frequency
of Assemblies, as some Acts of Parliament make Annual Sessions
of Parliament necessary: Indeed Gentlemen, whosoever believes or
can be perswaded that your Comparison is just, knows very little of

p. 61

our Constitution; Surely this Government can, as long as this Prov-
ince is safe subsist without this Act, how does this Act relate to this
Government either in time of Peace or War, any otherwise than as it
furnishes this Government with some money for its Defence and our
common Preservation, whenever Occasions may require the use of it ;
This Governm^t has not any number of Soldiers, Guards or Garrisons
or Navy to maintain in times of Peace; and therefore if you would
really Convince any Person of the Justness of your Reason, you
must shew that the Purposes, to which the Government applies the
money arising from the Act of Arms; &c are so absolutely necessary
to the Being or Support of the Government, independent of the neces-
sary Defence of the Province, as that they cannot be without it; a
Proof of this you have not attempted, for it is very well known this
Government does not make use of that money, but really (as you
say) has hoarded it up, (and we think it wisely) for such like
Exigencies as the present Appearance of affairs threaten us with;
Before we leave this Point, let us consider it even in your own
light; if such An Act is so absolutely necessary (as you pretend)
to the Being and Subsistence of the Government, our Attachment
to it can be no Surprize, nor unreasonable, especially when under the
Alarms of a dangerous War last Year, you absolutely refused
to revive it.