[48]
Over and above the Troops required from you to be kept in the Pay of the Colony, his Majefty has direded me to demand a certain Quota of Men to be raifed by this Colony, to be incorporated into the Regiments on the Britiſh Eſtabliſhment now in America, in Order to recruit and fully complete the fame. The number demanded from you, the Terms on which they are to be enlifted, and the Encouragement they will receive, are fully explained to you in a Letter from his Majefty's Commander in Chief, which will now be laid before you. His Majefty has this Meafure fo much at Heart, as abfolutely neceffary to put his Forces on a refpedable Footing, and enable them to ad on the Offenfive, and has recommended it by his Secretary of State in fo forcible Terms, that, convinced as I am of your fteady Zeal, Loyalty and Attachment, to his royal Perfon and Government, it would be the higheft Prefumption in me to attempt to add weight thereto, by any Arguments of my own: And I cannot doubt but that you will exert yourfelves to the utmoft, and fo approve yourfelves thofe faithful and loyal Subjeds the be ft of Monarchs expeds to find you. An artful Man might perhaps have witholden this laft Requifition until you have complied with, or refufed, the former; but Artifices of this Kind have never made any Part in my Plan of Government: I know to whom I am now applying; I know that Sincerity, Opennefs and Candour, will obtain that from you which you would deny to Cunning and Contrivance; fuch is the Condud which I have always obferved to you, and which I have always found returned to me in the moft ample, grateful and fatiffadory Manner.
M' Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Houfe of Burgeffes,
I can never recommend to you the granting Supplies without refieding on the large Sums this Colony has already granted, and feeling for the People whenever I have Occafion to make any Demands on them, however neceffary they may be; but I hope the Example of our Mother-Country, annually raifing many Millions to fupport a War at fir ft entered into, and now profecuted, for the Defence and future Security of her Colonies, will influence you to tread in her Steps as far as your Ability will give you Leave. Let us for a Moment refled what would have been the State of this Colony if she had pleaded Poverty and Inability. I have this Satiffadion left me that I am fure, from paft Experience, you will provide for what Expenfes you fhall judge neceffary and expedient on the eafieft Terms.
Gentlemen of the Council and of the Houfe of Burgeffes,
In order to proted the Trade of this Colony, I have the Pleafure to inform you that William Manwaring, Efq; Commander of his Majefty's Ship Arundel, is ftationed on this Coaft, to defend it from the Infults and Attacks of any Enemy whatfoever.
Nothing now remains for me to fay but to recommend to you Adivity, Unanimity and Def patch, which I do with great Fervency and Sincerity; for, whether we confider the advancing Seafon of the Year, the doubtful Situation Sir Jeffery Amherft muft be in, from which he would be glad to be relieved, or whether we confider the approaching Bufinefs of the General Court, all Reafons concur, both publick and private, general and particular, to render Expedition neceffary.
The Declaration of War againft Spain, which has been brought into this Colony by the Commander of one of his Majefty's Sloops of War, and was fent to me Yefterday in the Evening, will explain to you my Motives for preffing you to comply with all that his Majefty requires from you, on which Subjed I could not fpeak plain until fome fuch document authorized me fo to do.
Refolved, That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Honour, to return him the Thanks of this Hotife for his affedlionate Speech at the Opening of this Seffion ; to acknowledge that we are particularly obliged to him for the Sincerity, Opennefs and Candour, with which on this, as on every other Occafion, he has treated us ; to reprefent to him that we are truly fenfible that it is our Duty to exert ourfelves at this critical Conjundlure, and that we will give all the Def patch to the feveral Matters recommended to us that the Importance of them will admit of.
