Introduction. lxv

ing a message proposing such a conference, citing "the distressed circumstances
of the Province and the extreme necessity of many of the Creditors of the
Public, occasioned in great Measure by the want of the circulating Medium
of Commerce and by the non-payment of the public debt" (pp. 174-175). The
Upper House agreed to a conference and appointed Daniel Dulany and John
Ridout as its representatives, and adopted "Instructions" for their guidance.
It proposed that an appeal be made to the King in Council by the two houses
in the matter of the payment of the clerk's salary, either by an allowance of
an equal amount to each house to prosecute the appeal, or without any allow-
ance to either house, the sum claimed by the clerk to be held in escrow. The
Upper House was willing for the present to pass over the payment of the Seals
for Proclamations (pp. 107-109).

The Lower House appointed Murdock, Johnson, Ringgold, and John Hall
as its conferees, these receiving the "Instructions" of that house. These de-
clared that the house would not consider payment on account of the Proclama-
tions by the Governor of the Acts of Parliament relating to the repeal of the
Stamp Act as this might be later interpreted as an acquiescence in the claim
that Parliament had a constitutional right to impose internal taxes on her
colonies. While reiterating its demands that the Clerk of the Upper House be
paid out of the fines and amerciaments that now went to the Lord Proprietary,
on account of the "distressed circumstances of the Province", it suggested the
issuance of Bills of Credit sufficient to pay the public debt and the Clerk's salary
if the Crown so ordered, and a further allowance of £1500 to enable the Lower
House to employ an Agent in London for three years (pp. 181, 182). The
conferees met on November 19th and elected Daniel Dulany chairman, and
John Duckett, Jr., Clerk of the committee. The Lower House agreed to accept
the second proposal of the upper chamber, which was that the matter of the
Clerk's salary be referred to the Crown (p. 183). This was followed by the
introduction into the Lower House on November 26th of an act "for the
payment of the public claims and for emitting Bills of Credit" (p. 191). After
passage of this bill by the lower chamber it was sent to the Upper House to be
followed by a message from it, suggesting various minor changes and simpli-
fications of phraseology, and also that the agreements entered into between the
two houses at the conference be briefly recited in the act. Of course, no atten-
tion whatever was paid by the upper chamber to the suggestion that £1500 be
appropriated to provide for an agent in London. The Lower House in a curt
return message, requested the upper chamber to return the bill with either an
assent or a negative, as they did not recognize the right of that house to change
or "limit the matter, manner, measure and time ... of all Grants, and Disposi-
tions of Public Money," the sole right to "form" all money bills being vested in
the Lower House alone (p. 205). Before sending this message the house
adopted a series of resolves, affirming in detail its exclusive right over money
bills and declaring that any defects of another character in the bill could be
rectified by subsequent legislation (pp. 204-205). The Upper House, in a
temperate and conciliatory reply, noted with great concern and surprise that
the lower chamber had taken offense at its message, and said that it had been