The Lower House. 89

Wednesday, 4^th May, 1757.
The House met according to Adjournment, &c.

Mr. Reynolds appeared in the House.

Mr. Lloyd brings in and delivers to Mr. Speaker, the following
Ingrossed Address, viz.^t

To his Excellency Horatio Sharpe, Esq ;^r Governor and Commander
in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland :

The humble Address of the House of Delegates.
May it please your Excellency,

It gives us great Concern whenever we find ourselves under a
Necessity of applying to your Excellency for Redress in any Case,
but more especially in the present, as we can't avoid complaining,
that former Addresses on the like Occasions have not been so much
regarded as we thought we had Reason to hope they would be; and
we must particularly observe that nothing has been done, till very
lately, in Consequence of our Address of the gth of October last,
" that your Excellency would be pleased to direct the Bonds of the
several Sheriffs and Clerks, who had failed in their Duty, to be
forthwith put in Suit after the then next Provincial Court, that the
large Sums, due from many of them to the Public (and some of
them of long standing) might be secured : " We were induced to give
them till that Time, from the Hopes we had, that the Notice they
would receive from that Public Application made to your Excellency,
would be such a Warning as would have urged them to an imme-
diate Compliance; but as we find, by the Report of the Committee
of both Houses, appointed this Session to Inspect the Office and

L. H. J.
Liber No. 48

May 4

Proceedings of the Commissioners for Emitting Bills of Credit,
established by Act of Assembly, an Extract of which we herewith
lay before your Excellency, that very few, if any of the Matters
heretofore complained of, are Redressed, we flatter ourselves that
your Excellency will excuse us for all the Trouble which this Appli-
cation will occasion you, when you consider us, till very lately, little
acquainted with the Calamities and Expences of War, and conse-
quently put to great Difficulties to find out the most proper Methods,
Ways, and Means, to support the carrying on any Designs formed
for our Protection and Security. We find many incident Expences
daily accruing, which, from Inexperience, we could not foresee, and
must necessarily make Provision for: And we clearly perceive, that
unless the several Laws we have already made, for Raising Money,
be duly and strictly observed, and put in Execution, we shall shortly
find the Freeholders of this Province burthened with a heavy and
unequal Tax. It is truly discouraging to us to find, that many of the
Officers that have been, and now are employed in the Collection of
the Public Money, should act in such a Manner as affords us too

p. 427