474 Assembly Proceedings, April 13-May 6, 1761.

L. H. J.
Liber No. 51
April 29

To the King's most Excellent Majesty.
The humble Address of the House of Delegates of the Province of
Maryland.

May it please you Majesty,

Deeply affected with the severe Loss we in common with our
Fellow-Subjects have sustained by the Death of our late most
Excellent King, of happy Memory, whose paternal Care the In-
habitants of these Colonies have, so far as their particular Circum-
stances would admit, experienced in the Course of his long, mild, just
and glorious Reign; favourably permit us, most Gracious Sovereign,

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to condole with your Majesty that melancholy Events; but we should
not approve ourselves in any Respect worthy of the indulgent Pro-
tection of Providence, did we not derive, and most thankfully
acknowledge, the strong Consolation from a Contemplation on
the Eminent and Royal Virtues, which constitute and embellish
the Character of a good King, and give the best Assurance of a
Continuance, under your Majesty's Reign, of the invaluable Bless-
ings which have flowed from that of your illustrious Grandfather :
With this Assurance we join in the general Joy which hath been
diffused through all the extensive Dominions of Great-Britain,
and with the greatest Humility and purest Sincerity of Heart,
beg Leave to congratulate your Majesty upon your Accession to
the Throne of your Ancestors.

May your Majesty be rendered happy by the Prosperity of a free
People, flourishing under the benign Influence of your auspicious
Government, by a grateful and adequate Retribution in their zealous
Affection and firm Attachment to your Sacred Person; and we
most fervently pray, that your Majesty's Reign may be distinguished,
as well by it's Length, as it's Felicity, and that there may never be
wanting one of your Royal Descendants to fill the Throne to latest
Posterity.

But, may it please your Majesty to indulge us, destitute as we are
of the proper Means of obtaining Access to the Throne, while we
make Use of this Opportunity of humbly expressing our Concern,
that this Province has, during the present just and necessary War,
contributed so little to the Service of our late most Gracious Sov-
ereign; and our Confidence, that, until a full Enquiry be made into
the Causes thereof (which we most earnestly desire) and the People
shall be permitted to raise a Support for an Agent, who may lay
all the Grievances, which they suffer under the Government of their
Lord Proprietary, properly before your Majesty, you will be gra-

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ciously pleased to continue that favourable Opinion, which, we hope,
you have hitherto entertained of your Protestant Inhabitants of the
Province of Maryland; than whom, permit us, Royal Sir, to say,
your Majesty has not, in all your Dominions, Subjects more Loyal,