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essential to their own Protection, and yet this Measure is big with
all those Consequences, both from it's own Nature, and still more
so from the Season in which it is taken, the Account of it arriving
to me late on the 2d of November, in the Back Country of the
Province of New-York, by which Measures they not only refuse
their Aid to the Common Cause, and desert the Interest and Security
of their own Province, but by the Season they have this Resolution
in, put it out of the Power of the King's Servants to remedy the
End that the Execution of such a Measure cannot miss to have.
From this Light of Things, which is the true one, I cannot doubt
but your Assembly will immediately take such Resolutions as shall
enable you to provide effectually for the Security of that important
Post at Fort Cumberland, so as to prevent it's being abandoned,
and put into the Enemy's Possession, which would be the Effect
of such a Resolution. I must further remind you of the uninter-
rupted Orders that have been communicated to all the Governments
in North-America, from his Majesty's Secretaries of State, from
the Year 1754 to this Time, to be aiding and assisting to his Com-
mander in Chief in North-America, in supplying Troops, &c. and
in Consequence of his Majesty's Commands to me of applying to
the different Provinces for such Aid as I see necessary for the
Common Cause, I do demand from the Province of Maryland, that
the 500 Men, furnished for the Common Cause, and employed by
me this last Summer in the Defence of their Garrisons on their
Frontiers, be continued in the Service this Winter, as absolutely
necessary for the Defence of their own Province, and the Defence
of his Majesty's Dominions. As to their disposing of the Troops
in the Winter, I have the King's Commission to command all Men
that are or shall be in Arms in North-America, I am on the Spot,
and whilst the King does me the Honour to continue that Com-
mission to me, I will execute it, and if any Officer or Soldier pre-
sumes to disobey my Orders, I will treat him as the Law directs.
If my Business can possibly permit me, I will come immediately to
Annapolis, where I do not doubt but you and I will be able to set
Things in such a Light, as will be perfectly satisfactory to the Gentle-
men of your Assembly, and to every other Man that has the Safety
and Prosperity of Maryland, at Heart, and indeed of every Man
that has at Heart the Prosperity and Safety of his Majesty's
Subjects and Dominions in North-America. As the Business I am
engaged in may put it out of my Power to make this Journey so
soon as I could wish, I must beg that you will take every Measure
to bring your Assembly to a right Understanding of this so essential
a Point, both for themselves and his Majesty's Dominions in North-
America, and that you will, from Time to Time, acquaint me by
Express of what Resolutions are taken in this Affair."
This Letter of his Lordship's I communicated to the Lower House
the 18th of November, but they paid so little Regard to it, that in
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 52
April 23
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