492 Assembly Proceedings, October—November 1683.

U. H. Journal
1659-98

Month Since the first Meeting of this Assembly, and also that

at my first Meeting you in this place The matter of Towns
was the first and principall Business I recommended to you,
which accordingly has bin so farr taken under your Considera-
tion as that after above three weeks Deliberation a Bill for
Advancement of Trade was by the Lower house sent to the
Upper house friday last at which time I happening to be in
this house, I saw the same as also with it a paper Purporting
that the Bill for Towns was not to be past in the Lower house
unless some other Bills Mentioned in that Paper did pass the
Upper house, and that an Assurance must also be given that
I would Sign the Same, the latter part of which Message is
(I am Sure) without a President, Tis strange that a Bill that
had cost so much time and the Province so much Tobacco,
and which in itself Contains the greatest Good to this Prov-
ince that as yet We can think of should at last thus stick,
You will all of you take it unkindly at my hands should I
question whether you Come here for the publick Good, and
yet it plainly appears by the Proceedings of the Lower House,
That without I will purchase a General Good for the Inhabit-
ants of my Province I must not Expect it from M^r Speaker
and the Lower house; Had I at the first Meeting of this
Assembly proposed to you any Particular Advantage to my
Self, you then might have had some pretence for the making a
Bargain for the People; But Since Nothing of that Nature was
Moved to You, why must a general Good be had at so Dear
a Rate as you would Impose upon me—
I Confess the Seeing that Message with the Bill for Towns
was the Occasion of my telling the Gentlemen of the Upper
house that I would Conclude the Sessions this Day of which
I ordered the Lower house should immediately have Notice,
But having Since Considered with how ill a face the Proceed-
ings of this Assembly would look should the Bill for Towns
be at last Rejected, and after all endeavours for so great a
Good this present Meeting should be now rendered thereby
fruitless especially after so great Expence made both at this
and the former Assembly upon this Matter—I was resolved
to Meet you once more afore I Concluded this Sessions; And
my Business now is to Desire that every person hear will bear

p. 524

an Open forehead, And if this Bill for Towns be not that Good
I Esteem it to be, That you M^r Speaker and the Gentlemen
here with you will go to your house and accordingly Vote it
so, That so it may be known where and at whose Doores it
Lyeth, This I am sure you will Grant me if there be that
Decorum in the Proceedings of Your house which I wish and
hope there may be, And if the Bill for Advancement of Trade
be Esteemed by you as it is by me a Publick Good pray let it
be accordingly Voted so in the Lower house