60 Assembly Proceedings, August 5-September 28, 1745.

U. H. J.
Liber No. 34

Militia Law which tho' it was evidently in force as any Law in the
Country Yet a Majority of your House were deluded into a Belief
that it did not exist, but was expired many Years since, merely to
have a Pretence to abuse a lawful Act of the Governm^t And the other
about fines and forfeitures in hopes of Provoking me to resent such
treatments as it really deserved & thereby to obstruct all Publick
Business but when this Scheme failed of Success the Gentlemen
pulled of the Mask and Acted in Characters manifesting by their
Conduct that they dreaded nothing more than that the minds of the
People should be quieted and all pretence of uneasiness removed,
as being Conscious to themselves that they would soon appear in
their proper Colours & lose that influence over the People which has
actually Cost the Country above ten thousand Pounds of this Cur-
rency and to the Continuance of which pernicious Influence every
desirable thing for the Peoples happiness was to be sacrificed, this
appeared so evidently that Your House appointed another Confer-
ence and chose new Conferees who with those of the Upper House
soon setled every thing to the mutual Satisfaction of every Body
wherein so many and great Concessions were made by the Upper
House as exceeded the hopes of the most sanguine among You the
uneasiness which these Proceedings Occasioned in the Gentlemen
who opposed them was too manifest to be Concealed they then made
use of all the Artifices and false suggestions to defeat every step that
could be taken to Establish a happy Union between the Governm'
and People and shewed the firmest Resolution and most unweared
Application to sacrifice the Repose happiness and Interest of their
Constituents to the Pride and Wicked Ambition of being Leaders
of a Party I cannot omit mentioning to You Abuse of Power which
you exercised in a most Extraordinary manner which was such in
turning out Members of your House who were duly returned upon
pretence of an undue Election but against whom no Petition was
offered, And in another Instance You proceeded Contrary to the
Practice & Determination of your own House in the like Case and
in the face of an Express Act of Assembly these Proceedings would
have laid me under the necessity of immediately putting an end to a

p. 100

Power so unwarrantably exercised if the supplies for Louisburgh
Garrison and other supplies for the quiet and happiness of the Prov-
ince had not these been under Your Consideration I cannot avoid
another Observation that you have refused the Yeas and Nays to be
taken on several Questions contrary to a standing Rule of your
house and you have against all Parliamentary Proceedings hindred
Motions & Questions to be entred on your Journal which could pro-
ceed from no other Motive than a Conviction that your Proceedings
were such as you were unwilling to submit to the Censure of your
Constituents not content with these Extraordinary Steps you have
been pleased to assume and Usurp an Arbitrary Power over his
Majestys Subjects in sending for Magistrates keeping them in Cus-