546 Assembly Proceedings, October—November 1683.

L. H. Journal
Original.

This house for Answere doe say That as the business of
Townes was the first and principall Thing recommended by
his Lop: at the Opening of this Sessions, soe This house doe
hope that the Lower house will shew themselves equally
desirous and zealous for the same, & this house being fully
assured That Townes are Judged by the Lower house to be of
that great Advantage & Generall good to this province, w^ch

this house is very Confident They will be found to be, was the

reasone and noe Other of that message from this house,
wherein it was Desired, the bill for Townes might be first dis-
patcht, w^ch yett this house have not received Though there is
now a full weeke past since the first meeting of this Assembly and
as yett not any request or desire has appeared from the Lower
house of haveing any members of this house to Joyne in Com-
mittees for th^t Affaire All w^ch gave this house some Appre-
hensions that there had not been soe great a progress made by
the Lower house in that business of Townes as Since Appeares

p. 22

there has been, And now that the Lower house may be Assured
of all faire proceedings from this house, The bill for Electing
Burgesses &c has been twice read an[d upon a] full debate
of this house on the same, this house doe returne [Answer;
That though the] manner of Electing Delegates and Deputyes
[and Convention of Assemblies] be already settled by his
Lops: Ordi[nance yet for the better Settling the Mi]nds of
the good people of this province in tha[t particular This house
is willing and ready] to Joyne in a bill for Assert[aining what
is already Contained in the] sayd Ordinance, with this alter-
acon in the [Indentures That the Delegates are to] have their
power from the Electors, And this [to be further Added that
upon] Any neglect of notice to be given of the wan[t of any
Delegates or Deputies] as in the sayd Ordinance is directed
th^t then the Speaker [of the Lower house] may have liberty
to Certify such want to the Secretaryes for the times being
who therevpon shall Cause writt to Issue Accordingly, And
this will Sufficiently quiet & Settle the minds of all persones
in that affaire as this house is well Assured
Signd p Ord^r Tho: Grunwin Cler &c.

In answere wherevnto was drawne the ffollowing viz'
Lower house of Assembly October the Eleventh 1683

message about the bill of
Eleccons

1 his house desires if the bill for Elleccons
be rejected in [the Upper] house as by the