396 Appendix.

Contempo-
rary Printed
Pamphlet
Md.Hist.Soc.

at large at present than heretofore, with respect to the Tax on the
Proprietary Estate, and the great Offices of the Government." Now
that I may explain this Passage, to the Understanding of the sup-
posed Associates in this elaborate Performance, I will borrow my
Logic from the Bar, and, by the Force of Innuendoes, throw such a
Light upon it, that the only Persons in the Province who could dis-
cover any Obscurity in it, shall, at the first Glance, comprehend its
full Scope and Intention. — "It is a Maxim in Politics, that the Rep-
resentative (the Upper House meaning) is justified by the Instruc-
tions of his Constituent (the Lord Proprietor meaning) in acting
even against his own Judgment (the Judgment of their Honours of
the Upper House meaning) and we were willing to entertain Hopes,
that your Honours might be more at large at present ( from Pro-
prietary Injunctions meaning) than heretofore, with Respect to the
Proprietary Estate, and the great Offices of the Government." But
notwithstanding the Abstruseness of this Passage, I shrewdly suspect
it is better understood than the Gentlemen choose to acknowledge,
and that their Ignorance of its Meaning is nothing but Pretence,
why else such a Train of thundering angry Questions, which I shall
give from their Message, with suitable Answers, en passant ? "Why

p. 48

did you not, Gentlemen, inform us what Foundation you have for
this indecent and untrue Suggestion, viz. their Tenderness for the
Proprietary Estate, and the great Offices? What Foundation have
you for insinuating, that this House ever was under any Restraint
with regard to either of those Points?" Their Honours Argument
in these Questions, and what is subjoined a little lower, "Your hav-
ing Recourse to those Objections in 1758, will not serve your Pur-
pose, for you will there find no Objections to either of these Par-
ticulars being at all taxed;" seems to proceed upon this Principle,
that as they have never explicitly declared their Objections to these
Points, the Lower House therefore had no Right to suppose, that
they had any such in their View; whereas if their Honours had made
such a Declaration, Supposition must have been excluded, and abso-
lute Certainty taken its Place. If indeed the Lower House had
positively asserted that those were the Objections of the Upper
House, the Question had been pertinent, because positive Assertion
requires positive Proof; but Supposition is well warranted, by Cir-
cumstances of strong Presumption. And it must be submitted to the
considerate Reader, whether, from the Nature of their Constitution,
their particular Conduct relating to this Bill, and the invariable
Attachment they have ever shewn to the Proprietor's Interest, the
Upper House had any Right to charge this Supposition with a
Disregard either of Truth or Decency ?

p. 49

Their Honours then proceed to another Question — "Or what
Reason have you to hope we are now more at large than heretofore ?"

To hope without Foundation, I grant is a Weakness, but never
thought it a Crime, though their Honours, from their next Ques-