Introduction. xxxi

of the House of Commons relating to the colonies, which he was sending to
the Lower House for their consideration, satisfied that nowhere in the Ameri-
can colonies have subjects more gratitude and loyalty for the King, affectionate
regard for the mother country, and respect for Parliament, than have the in-
habitants of Maryland; that he had expressed those sentiments to his Majesty's
minister, and he felt sure the Lower House would "not choose to fall short
in any Respect of the Royal Expectations" (p. 172). None of the papers
accompanying the Governor's message are recorded in the journal of the
Lower House, but will be found in the Proceedings of the Council. From
the wording of the reply of the Lower House there is no question that the
letter of the Secretary of State referred to was the circular letter, addressed
to the several colonial governors, which Sharpe had received from General
H[enry] S[eymour] Conway, dated at St. James, London, March 31, 1766
(Arch. Md. XIV, 296-297), and to which he replied on June 27, 1766 (ibid.
314-315), although there are letters of about this date, from Lord Welbourne
and the Duke of Richmond, relating to this same matter (ibid. 315, 358-359).
As the result of the message from Sharpe a motion was made in the Lower
House on the following day that a message to the Governor be prepared, and
that this house request the Upper House to join with it in an address to the
King; and a committee headed by Ringgold was appointed to prepare such
an address (pp. lvii, 176). It was not, however, until December 6th, the
closing day of the session, that the Lower House sent the Governor its reply
to the minister's references to Stamp Act disorders. After referring to the
letter of Secretary Conway, which intimated the colonies should pay any
damages which had been suffered by individuals from mob violence, and
appreciation of Sharpe's reply to him, the house declared that the observa-
tions made by the Secretary about serious outbreaks in the colonies resulting
from the Stamp Act could not be made applicable to Maryland, as the only
incident of the kind, a trivial one, which had occurred in Maryland, had been
the pulling down of an old house rented to the Stamp Distributor (p. 212).
Maryland manufactures. There was an exchange of messages and addresses
between the Governor and the Lower House as the result of an inquiry made
by the Lords of Trade and Plantation in regard to manufacturing in the
American colonies. The letter to Sharpe from the Lords, apparently a circular
letter sent to all the governors, dated Whitehall, August 1, 1766, is not recorded
in the journal of the house, but will be found in the proceedings of the Council
(Arch. Md. XXXII, 169). Sharpe, in his message to the Lower House, dated
December 3rd, which summarizes the inquiries made in the letter, says that
there is desired by the Lords "a particular and exact Account of the several
Manufactures, which have been set up, and carried on within this Province,
since the Year 1734, and of the Public Encouragements which have been
given thereto", this information being wanted by the Lords to be laid before
the House of Commons. The Governor concluded by saying that as the
delegates resided in different parts of the Province and from their acquaintance
among the public, they will be in the best position to give this information
without delay (p. 200). Plans were being laid at this time by Parliament to