The Upper House. 513

Gentlemen of the Lower House of Assembly
I was in great Hopes you would have entered upon the Considera-
tion of the matters proposed in my message of the second Instant as
you had assured me that you would deliberately consider of any
Proposition I should make for the better Distribution and Security
of the Provincial Arms and Ammunition, and give any Advice and
Assistance in that Affair as you shall think agreable to me, and
continue to the Welfare of the Province

U. H. J.
Calvert
Paper
No. 735
June 3

The Result of any Consideration upon these matters may easily
and in a short time be passed into a Law besides the Arming- Our
Selves in a proper manner and putting Our Militia into such a con-
dition as may enable them to withstand regular Troops as may
Attack Us in an Affair of such great Importance to the Safety and
Security of the People of this Province, and the Preservation of
this part of his Majestys Dominions that it would well merit the
calling together of An Assembly if there was no other Business
whatsoever to be laid before it. The general Preservation of the
province with all Our lives and Properties, is certainly a Point of
infinitely greater Importance to Ourselves as well as Our Mother
Country, than all other things under our Consideration at this time,
however they may be enlarged upon & magnified
But if you think the Provision in one of the Militia Acts
" whereby Persons Prest or Inlisted in Case of a Foreign Invasion,
refusing upon their Officers Commands to appear and Serve in Arms,
are Subjected to Prosecutions in the Provincial Court, and to be
fined and imprisoned at the Discretion of that Court," is sufficient
to instruct and discipline Militia, and enable them to withstand
regular Troops, however mistaken you may be in such Notions, I
have nothing to do but to acquiesce having nothing further in my
Power but to give my Assent to any Law that you may think further
necessary for that Purpose
Sam: Ogle

p. 105

To his Excellency Samuel Ogle Esq^r Governor of Maryland
The humble Address of the House of Delegates of the said
Province

May 1t please Your Excellency
We return your Excellency hearty Thanks for your Readiness in
passing the Bill for Encouragement of his Majestys Levies into a
Law a Thing very agreable to this House
It gives us no small Concern, that after the most solemn Protes-
tations and Assurances We have given to the Contrary we should
by your Excellency be suspected of an Intention to keep Back the

33

June 4