The Upper House. 503

to secure if we could a Fund for Our Defence; and upon this Prin-
ciple We have hitherto refused to take any steps, to destroy by a
.Session the only Provision We have for that Purpose, unless we
could be sure another might be depended on; which, after your delay
to dispatch a Bill for the same End, agreed on in all its parts by the
Conferees of both Houses, we have good Reason to think very
precarious
If you will be pleased to reconsider our last Message, and the
Expedient there mentioned, you will readily understand it in the
Sense intended by us, which was, that rather than be without an
Act to encourage Levies for his Majestys Service, it might be
thought adviseable to make a Session, provided all such Acts as
would determine by a Session, might be continued in the same
Plight and condition, they must be, if there should be now no Ses-
sion, which would be by reviving them for any Time (tho ever so
short) and to the end of the next Session; And this Expedient We
imagined would be better than no Session and no Levy Act; not that
we preferred Three Pence to Six Pence for Defence of the Province,
but because, without a Session there wou'd be only Three Pence
and by the Passage of any Bill, whilst you keep in your House the
Bill Agreed on by the Conferees we might from the present Appear-
ance of Your Conduct fear losing even that Three Pence: But since
you profess yourselves unwilling to lessen Our Provision against

V. H. J.
Calvert
Paper
No. 735

Our Foreign and Domestick Enemies from the Six Pence you have
agreed to to the Three Pence you have endeavoured to take from us,
we doubt not but you will immediately send up the Bill for Six Pence,
which is agreed by the Conferees of both Houses to be determined
as you have desired
It is true, Gentlemen, we have (as you say) the Bill for Encour-
agem^t of his Majesty's Levies in our Possession, and we must own
you have had the Address, from your own Knowledge of our un-
shaken Duty and Affection to the best of Kings, and of our sincere
zeal for whatever may contribute to his Glory, and the Prosperity
of Our Mother Country, to work upon us by those irresistible
Motives, and therefore you sent to us that Bill in Order that a
Session might be made, We have hitherto endeavoured to prevail
with you that A Session might be made to our mutual Satisfaction, we
have not been able to procure your Compliance with us in that respect
and therefore as the greatest Testimony we can in this Case give of our
Affection to his Majesty and Chearfulness in his Service We have
passed the Bill agreed to by the Conferees of both Houses for En-
couragement of his Majestys Levies; In return for which we cannot
but expect from your avowed Loyalty to his Majesty, and Attachment
to Our present happy Establishment, an immediate Dispatch of the
Bill for Arms, &c^a for Defence of this part of his Majestys Dominions,
agreable to the Report of the Conferees of both Houses; And in Order

p. 95