|
|
support of, the Supply Bill you seem to allude to, I took the Liberty
(being as desirous as any Gentleman among you, to have the Dispute
finally determined) to refer Mr. Pitt, who was then one of his Maj-
esty's Principal Secretaries of State, to that Journal in particular,
for a clear and full State of the Dispute, which had subsisted between
the Two Houses, and I moreover told him, that I was afraid no
Supplies for the King's Service would be granted in this Province,
unless his Majesty should be pleased to have the Dispute thoroughly
examined into, and finally settled. At the Desire of the Lower House
in December 1757, I sent a Copy (attested by their Clerk) of the
Supply Bill they had then Framed, to the Commander in Chief of
the King's Forces in North-America, who was so far from thinking
it an Evidence of their Zeal to promote the Service of his Royal
Master, that he applauded the Conduct of the Upper House in
rejecting it. The Opinion of Mr. Pratt, his Majesty's Attorney-
General, on the Supply Bill that was offered to the Upper House in
April 1758, (which Opinion I communicated to the People's Repre-
|
L. H. J.
Liber No. 52
March 20
|
|
|
|
sentatives about Two Years ago) will show you in what Light those
Offers of theirs, which you term Generous ones, were seen by him;
and I am apt to think they appeared in pretty much the same Light
to his Majesty's Ministers. The Resolves of the late Lower Houses
of Assembly to raise Money for the King's Service, as often as they
were pleased to make such Resolves, were communicated to the
Generals Commanding the King's Forces on this Continent (some-
times, as in April 1759 and 1760, at the particular Request of the
Lower House) and I doubt not but those Generals transmitted the
same to one of his Majesty's Princpial Secretaries of State: You
will not, therefore, I hope, conclude, from the severe Reprehension
contained in the Earl of Egremont's Letter, that neither our most
Gracious Sovereign, nor his Ministers, have as yet been fully and
truly informed of the Proceedings of the Gentlemen, who composed
the late Lower Houses of Assembly in this Province, nor (cautioned
as you are by the King's express Command) bring on this Province,
by your adopting the Measures which former Lower Houses so
obstinately pursued, his Majesty's just Resentment.
Hor.o Sharpe.
Which was Read, and Ordered to lie on the Table.
The Order of the Day being Read; the House proceeds to take
into Consideration, the Subject-matter contained in his Excellency's
Speech, and his Majesty's principal Secretary of State, and Sir
Jeffery Amherst's Letters; and thereupon, on Motion, the Question
was put, Whether 300, or 400 Men, be raised for his Majesty's
Service, agreeable to the said Letters. Resolved that 400 Men be
raised.
|
p. 16
|
|
