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

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper

No. 735

eral Branches of the Legislature and have Effects very Contrary
to the good Ends proposed and Expected from the Meeting of
Assemblies.

p. 85

As to the Duration which you seem to be so much apprehensive of
We hope We need only say that it will be time enough for us to
Justify such a Duration whenever We think fit to Insist on it which
we shall not do, unless we are Satisfied with the Expediency and
Reasonableness
Since the Importance of the Bill for Arms &c^a for the defence of
the Province since our frequent inculcating the necessity of Extraor-
dinary Armaments at this Juncture, which your Conferees acknowl-
edged had influenced you to increase the Sum for Arms &c^a from
Our Being in a War with Spain the Probability of one with France,

the Dangerr of being Attacked by some French Colonies within a

few days March of Our Frontires the Insurrection of negroes and
the evil Dispositions of Papists and since the Concurrence of your
Conferees, and even of Your House to every part of such a Bill
cannot convince you of the indispensible Obligation you are under
to forward that Bill immediately up to Our House; but on the Con-
trary you seem resolv'd to disregard every Consequence, rather than
not avoid the Duration you are apprehensive may be put to some
other Laws, We must say on our parts that your Wishes plainly
appear that We should be rather without A Session or any Fund
for Arms &c^a for Our Defence than to have it increased to the Sum
agreed by the Conferees, and therefore Gentlemen We dare not
before you send up the Bill for Arms &c^a Agreeable to the Conferees
Report take one Step in the Passage of any of the Bills now in Our
House least it might tend to leave us at these Dangerous Times
without some Fund for Our Defence and in Case you will not let
us have a Bill for Arms &c^a Agreable to the Conferees Report, We
are perswaded We shall in a much more Sincere manner acquit Our
selves as Dutiful and Loyal Subjects by not passing the Bill for En-
couragement of Forces, or any other Bill and by that means Con-
tinue still on Foot the present Act for Arms &c^a than by giving a
Passage to that or any other Bill, leave the Province without any
Fund to provide Arms and Ammunition for its Defence
We are really Gentlemen, unacquainted with the many other
Reasons (which you say) govern you in this Matter unless they be
such as determine you at all Events to deprive this Province as much
as it is in your Power, of a Fund for its Defence, and therefore you
will be pleased to take Our Final Results, (which you say you wait
for) that We cannot consistent with Our Duty to his Majesty in
the Preservation, of this part of his Dominions, Pass any Bill before
you Will be pleased to dispatch a Bill for Arms &c^a to us agreable to
the Rcport of the Conferees.