lxvi Introduction.

framed so as not to produce such a result; that the suggestions made were done
to make the bill more nearly agree with the conference agreements. It further
pointed out that in the formation of the bill passed in 1733 for the issuance of
£90,000 of Bills of Credit conferences were held, and suggestions made, by the
Upper House which had been incorporated in the bill. While denying the claim
of the Lower House to have exclusive right to formulate money bills, on
account of the great emergency existing, assent was given to the bill, but the
lower chamber was given notice, that when the matter of the clerk's salary is
referred to the Crown, the claims of the lower chamber to have exclusive
authority over money bills will also be brought before the King in Council for
determination (pp. 128-130). The bill was then passed by the Upper House for
the issuance of Bills of Credit, and the Journal of Accounts providing for the
payment of the public debt assented to (p. 214).

PROVINCIAL AGENT IN GREAT BRITAIN

The old question of the appointment of, and support for, an agent in Great
Britain to represent the public before the Crown in controversies between the
Lower House and the Proprietary interest as represented by the Governor and
the Upper House, cropped up again at the two 1766 sessions and at the 1768
session, but did not attain the violence that it had at numerous previous sessions,
nor give rise to the usual interchange of heated messages between the two
houses (Arch, Md. LIX, lvi). Its career in the May, 1766, Assembly, followed
the usual routine. On May 2Oth, Col. Edward Tilghman was given leave to
bring into the house a bill providing for the support of an agent of the Prov-
ince in Great Britain, to be appointed by the Lower House, by a levy of a four
pence export duty on tobacco (p. 52). Such a bill was brought in and passed
by special order to avoid delay (p. 52), and sent to the Upper House, to meet
there its usual and pre-ordained rejection (pp. 9, 12). No messages, however,
passed between the two houses on this occasion. Both were satisfied merely to
continue thus to place their respective positions upon the record. The pro-
visions of the bill are not disclosed, but it was doubtless the same bill which,
under the same title, had aroused so much bitterness at recent sessions.

At the November-December, 1766, session, a bill for the support of an agent
by a four pence export duty on tobacco, with the same title, was again brought
into the Lower House, passed (pp. 157, 170), and sent to the Upper House,
where it was returned with a message, dated November 17, 1766, saying that,
to avoid repetition of the reasons for its dissent, the Upper House referred the
lower chamber to their message of December 16, 1765, where the reasons
were fully explained, and where also would be found, "the Terms upon which
we would most chearfully agree to your appointment of an Agent" (pp. 103,
171). This, of course, referred to the offer of the Upper House to provide
a support for an agent who would represent both houses, or for two agents,
one representing the Upper and one the Lower House (Arch. Md. LIX; Ivi-
lvii). It is also to be noted that at the time the bill providing for the issuance
of Bills of Credit and for approval of the Journal of Accounts had come
before the conference between the houses, the Lower House made a proposal