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Lib. 41.
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himself by Reason of some Imperfections humbly desired his
Excellency to direct the House to make Choice of some
more able and sufficient Member of that House to
serve in that Station. To which his Excellency replyed
that he very well approved of the Houses Choice ; For
which he returned his Excellency humble Thanks for
thinking him worthy for the Execution of a Place of
so great Charge & Trust; promising him to use his
utmost Endeavour, Care and Diligence therein, and so
offered unto him in the Name, and on the Behalf of the whole
House of Assembly, that they might have their accustomed
and usual Privilege, Access to his Person, upon all urgent
Occasions, and free Liberty of Speech ; which was granted ;
and then his Excellency was pleased to say to them as followeth.
Mr Speaker & you Gent. Delegates,
Your now Meeting at this late and unseasonable Time of
the Year presses your utmost Sedulity in the Dispatch of the
necessary Affairs now to be laid before you ; The late melan-
choly Accident might have been prevented had my often
Admonitions took Place, for I never saw any publick Buildings
left solely to Providence but in Maryland. I hope this sad
Experiment will awaken your Care for Time to come & and in
the Interim your best Considerations to secure the Laws and
Records of your Country for the Advantage and Quiet of future
Generations. What is proper to be done in rebuilding your
Stadt House so very necessary for the Accomendation of the
Public I leave entirely to your own serious Debates and Decision
for I have no other Aim than the true Interest and Service of
your Country and shall be heartily Sorry to find any here so
far mistaken to imagine in the least it can be separate from
that of the Crown of England. Since I have given you the
strictest Assurance of my constant Resolution to govern whilst
I have the Honour to command here with a most tender
Regard to her Majesty's Honour and Service, using my best
Endeavours to advance the Prosperity & Reputation of this
Province, I can never doubt but my Integrity in your Service
has been sufficiently evident by some Trial since my Adminis-
tration as you handsomely owned with Thanks the last Session.
Therefore avoiding all Heats and Misconstructions I hope you
will with me and her Majesty's Honble Council most heartily
apply yourselves to the present Exigencies your Country now
lies under which will be most acceptable to her Majesty and
very grateful to myself for when you do truly well for your-
selves all Men will applaud your Judgments.
Gentlemen,
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