Appendix to Council Proceedings, 1696- 1729.     603

    to the poor Planters; Tobacco Merchants, who deal in Con-        C. P.

    signments, get great Estates, run no risque, and Labour only

    with the pen; The Planter can Scarce get a living, Runs all

    the risques, attendant upon trade, both as to his Negroes and

    Tobacco, and must work in Variety of Labour; I write not

    this in malicious Envy to the merchts nor do I wish them less

    Success in business but I heartily wish the Planters Lay was

    better. When our Tobacco then is Sold at home whatever

    is the produce of it, returns not to us in Money, But is either

    converted into Apparell, Tools or other Conveniences of life,    p. 5

    or Else remains there, as it were Dead to us, for where the

    Staple of a Country, upon forreign Sale, yields no return of

    Money, to Circulate in such a Country, the want of such Cir

    culation must leave it almost Inanimate; it is like a Dead

    Palsie on the publick, since it can never Exert its members or

    faculties, in the pursuit of trade and Commerce; An increas

    ing Country and growing people as this is, and a Staple, at

    best Uncertain, but of late visibly declining in Value, as To

    bacco is; incites the people here to look about and Enlarge

    their foundation in trade, to the which money or Some Cur

    rency, which may answer the same uses, is necessary, and the

    Expedient to such End, is a Paper Currency as proposed in

    the Act; I herewith send you a Copy of the sd Bill as it Came

    up from the Lower House, the Votes and Journall will show

    you the Amendmts proposed by the Upper House, with which,

    the Bill would generally have pleased here; I should be Very

    Glad to have the Bill Consider'd of in England and to know

    yr thoughts upon it, which would be Very Acceptable to many

    here, For the people are impatient for some such kind of Re-     p. 6

    lief in their Circumstances and I Dare not Venture to pass

    any such Law here without Even the Consent of the Crown,

    for an Instruction of the Late Kings Dated the 31st of Aug:

    1724

      It seems to require that no Law of an unusuall or Extra.

    ordinary nature should be passed here untill his Majesties

    pleasure was therein known, whereunto referrence may easily

    be had in Councill or Board of Trade Office; This was Indeed

    the main reason, for my insisting on the first Amendmt before

    mentioned, for referring it, untill your pleasure should be

    therein known, I was Confidant that would Answer the Royall

    Instruction being secure, that you would never send in an

    assent on your part, Untill you were Assured in form of the

    Crowns; which by the sd Instruction seemed previously neces

    sary; Having observed thus far on the sd Bill, it is submitted

    to your Consideration at Home, I am Utterly Incapable of

    Advising in things of this nature, the beginning whereof is

    obvious to the meanest Conception, the Consequences of it