Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/178

 \54^ SKETCHES OF THE

A correspondence on another topic was now opened between the council and burgesses, and the gover- nor Dunmore. The former addressed him with a re- quest, that he would order a large parcel of arms which he had left in the palace to be removed to the public magazine, a place of greater safety. This he peremptorily refused; and ordered that those arms, belonging to the king, should not be touched without his express permis- sion. In their reply, they say, that the arms may in some sort be considered as belonging to the king, as the supreme head of the government, and that they were properly under his lordship's direction; yet, they humbly conceived, that they were originally provided, and had been preserved, for the use of the country in cases of emergency. The palace, they say, had indeed been hitherto much respect- ed, but not so much out of regard to the building, as the residence of his majesty's representative. Had his lordship thought fit to remain there, they would have had no apprehensions of danger; but considering these arms at present, as exposed to his lordship's servants, and every rude invader, the security derived from his lordship's presence could not now be relied on. They therefore, again entreat him to order the removal of the arms to the magazine. They then proceed to state, that they cannot decline representing to him, that the important business of the assembly had been much im- peded by his excellency's removal from the palace — that this step had deprived them of that free and neces- sary access to his lordship, to which they were entitled by the constitution of the country — that there were several bills of the last importance to the countiy now ready to be presented to his excellency for his assent. They complain of the inconvenience to which they had

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