The Upper House. 285

have it supposed, that not a Shilling is collected contrary to Law, and
that in the Payment every Indulgence which reasonable People can
desire is given both by the Lord Proprietary and His Lieutenant
Governor, His Lordship's Income does we presume enable him to do
many generous things, but we cannot think that because he is able
he therefore ought to make the Clerk of the Council a full Compen-
sation for his Services, When his Lordships knows that such Clerk
is a Constitutional Officer & has always been paid in the manner we
insist shall be continued, We are not much Surprized at your Con-
cluding from the members of this House Waving at the time the
last Levy Bill was passed their respectfull in Claims as Councillors,
that we should not insist on the Usual allowance being made at this
time to M.^r Ross, But however strange the paying more Regard to
others Interest than One's own might at Present appear to You, We
shall by our Proceedings endeavour to convince You that such a
thing is not impossible, And at the Same time take the Hint you are
Pleased to give Us of the Danger of making any more Concessions

U. H. J.
Liber No. 36
Nov. 26

of the kind You mention, or waving any Right for the future in
order to obtain a present or temporary Good to the Province, Sorry
we are that the Publick Credit which it is incumbent on both Houses,
To support is by reason of Your unwarrantable pretentions reduced
to the lowest Ebb, But we flatter ourselves that if Your Constituents
are actuated by any Principal of Justice of which we have not the
least Doubt, they will not lay the Blame at our Door, or wish Us to
revive such Credit by making a Sacrifice of a Single just Creditor, in
which light we are confident M.^r Ross must appear to Every One
of them that has not been taught to believe the People's Representa-
tives alone ought to be invested with all the Powers of Government
executive as well as Legislative, and that Consequently both the
Council and their Clerk should be annihilated as soon as possible,
Whatever Opinion you may entertain Gentlemen of it's being the
peculiar priviledge of the Lower House of Assembly of this Province
to adjust the Publick Claims we Positively deny their having always
or ever exercised such Priviledge exclusively, being able to produce
numerous Precedents to the Contrary, And indeed if you did not
think it absolutely necessary that this House (consisting generally
of too few to Spare Members for many Committees) should be
Satisfied of the honest and true Adjustment of such Claims, why
will you send Us the Journal to examine, and rather offer Us instead
thereof a Levy Bill providing for the payment of the Publick Credit-
ors whose Claims You may Choose to put on the same footing with
your Own; and if we have no Rights to see the Vouchers exhibited
by Creditors in Support of their Claims to what purpose should we
look into the Journal when you send it Up to Us ? — To prevent
Your putting forced Constructions on any expressions in the Mes-
sages You allude to or making unfair Deductions from them in

p. 193