448 Assembly Proceedings, May 1-June 4, 1744.

U. H. J.

The Speaker and the Lower House attend and his Excellency is
pleased to make the following Speech
Gentlemen of the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly
I should have gladly met you some Months sooner, but the daily
Expectation of receiving an Answer from his Lordship to your
Address relating to his Quit Rents, made me defer this Session so
long, that the Winter was too far advanced to think of calling you
together in so bad a Season
Gentlemen of the Lower House
Their Excellencies the Lords Justices, upon considering the un-
certain State of Affairs in Europe, and the more than Probability
of Great Britains being engaged in a French War sent me some
Months since repeated Orders to put the Militia of this Province into
the best Condition possible, and to be upon our Guard against any
Surprize that might be attempted upon Us by the French and by
those Orders it is Expected, that our Forces should not only be able
to Act defensively but even Attack Our Enemies, if it be thought
necessary

The Advices We have very lately received from England, of his
Majestys British Dominions being threatned with an Invasion con-
firm the Prudence of those Orders, and call upon us for the strongest
Testimonies of Our Duty and Affection to his Majestys Person and
Government, I must therefore In the most earnest manner recom-
mend to You two Measures absolutely necessary for Purposes so
necessary to Our own Preservation, and the security of this Part of
his Majestys Dominions One is that a proper Law be thought of
for making the Militia more serviceable, the present Acts being ex-
tremely defective, and the Other, that a Provision for Arms and

p. 2

Ammunition be made in the usual manner, and agreeable to the late
Act for that Purpose which expired some [Years] since, the Money
raised by that Fund being very near if not entirely exhausted These
are necessary Measures even in peaceable times and if not taken at
this Juncture, it will be impossible to answer the Expectations con-
ceived of you, or give Proofs of that Duty to your Sovereign and
Affection to Your Country, which Every good Subject must think
himself [bound] to, by the most sacred Ties

As for my own Part, my zeal for his Majestys Service and sincere
Wishes for the Welfare and Quiet of this Province, oblige me to
declare that unless A Law, for Supply of Arms and Ammunition,
be made in the manner I have mentioned, it cannot be expected this
Province should be put into a Condition capable of defending it self,
or that We can possibly avoid falling again into those unhappy Mis-
understandings, which so long subsisted before my Arrival I need
not tell you such a situation of Affairs, whereby a Stop will be put
to all Publick Business, must be extremely dishonourable as well as

dangerous to this County but from the Motives I have urged to you,