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

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper
No. 735

That so much has been already said in the Messages with Relation
to your two Alternatives, and the Choice they have made, that they
think there is no occasion to add any thing further only this that they
never questioned the Right of your House in Judging of the neces-
sity of Raising money, the Quantity of Money to be applied to that
necessity, and the time of Continuance of that Bill yet that Our
House has an equal right of Judging on passing or not passing
Any Bill whatsoever
That Our House has great Pleasure to find, that their often in-
culcating the necessity of extraordinary Armaments at this Juncture,
from Our Being in a War with Spain, the danger of being attacked
by some French Colonies, the Insurrection of negroes and evil Dis-
positions of Papists, have had at last some good Effects on your
Resolutions for Increasing the Sum for Arms, &c^a at such a par-
ticular time of Danger

p. 77

That your House seems to think by not passing the Bill for Arms,
&c. at the last meeting, that a Rumour of War ought not to prevail
with them to make Preparations for a Posture of Defence, and that
a seven years Duty in Bank of 300£ Sterling p annum and Our
Arms in the Country (both which together could not Arm the Prov-
ince in a Proper manner against an Invasion) will Justify the Repre-
sentatives of a Free People in letting A Bill for defence of the Prov-
ince drop till an Actual War breaks out, or the Country may be in
worse Circumstances, by which our House presumes your House,
must mean when the Enemy may be amongst us; in such worse
Circumstances no doubt, Gentlemen, it would be a very proper Time
for an Assembly to meet and make an Act to raise Money a year
afterwards for Our Defence
We have it further in Command from our House to acquaint you,
that although you have not vouchsafed to use one Argument to
satisfy Our House of the unreasonableness, in the present uncertain
Situation of Affairs, of the Length of nine years which they had
Chosen on your Alternative, yet as the principal Heads of a Bill for
Encouragement of raising Forces for his Majestys Service, and a
determined Resolution to shew it on every occasion have been agreed
to in this Conference, and as the members of Our House have
nothing so much at Heart as a sincere Zeal for his Majestys Service,
and a determined Resolution to shew it on every occasion; There-
fore on these Considerations, and being very desirous to cultivate
and preserve among the several Branches of the Legislature a
mutual Harmony and good Understanding, by every Condescension
that is not very unreasonable, and by forwarding any Bill that may
be agreable to each other, Our House will Agree to a Bill for laying
a Duty of Six Pence per Hogshead for Arms, &c^a for defence of the