The Lower House. 331

Friday Morning June 27, 1746

The House met according to adjournment, and the Proceedings
of Yesterday were read
M^r Philip Hammond delivers M^r Speaker the following Report,
Viz.
We the subscribers having with others, been, by orders of the
Honourable the House of Delegates, intrusted with the Receipt of
Money from sundry Gentlemen, and transmitting and receiving
Papers and Letters relating to the Grievances complained of by the
Province, and not redressed by the Lord Proprietary, and in Par-
ticular as to the Twelve Pence per Hogshead on all Tobacco exported
taken by his Lordship, leave to Acquaint you, that by a Letter from
Ferd^o John Paris Esq^r the Agent employed for the Country on that
occasion, we have been advised, that on that Head of Complaint, he
had finished his Brief, and that it was clear that his Lordship was not
entitled to the said Twelve Pence per Hogshead by the Act of 1704,
or any other Law
The said Gentleman complained of Delays occasioned here by
the refusal of Copies of Records, which Could not be remedied by
us, or those appointed by the House, having always Transmitted
such as soon as we could procure them from the Government here :
nor have we been able to procure the Annual Amount of the 14^d per
Tun, or to have the Amount of the 12^d per Hogshead duly Authen-
ticated, as by M^r Paris we were directed whether our not hearing
of late from the aforesaid Gentleman be due to miscarriage of Ships
or Letters, or that he conceives himself not adequately rewarded for
his Trouble in the service of the Country or what other Cause we
are at a Loss to know: But we humbly conceive, that without a
Public Fund be established for defraying the Expence of Procuring
Justice to the People of Maryland in the Points complained of, that
great and desired End will not be attained, and in order to Satisfy
this Honourable House, and our Constituents, And to free ourselves
from an unjust aspersion not long since cast upon us we take Care
to annex hereto An Account of the Money received by us for the

L. H. J.

Liber No. 46
June 27

Purpose aforesaid the Ballance whereof is ready to be applied to such
Service, and what Time your Honourable House shall think proper.

All which is humbly referred to the Consideration of the Honble
House by

Phil Hammond Thom^o Worthington Jn^o Addison
C. Carroll Tumor Wootton Henry Hall

p. 595