220 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 27-Oct. 4, 1708.

L. H. J.

to repair to their own House, and there seriously to reflect
thereon.
The House being returned M^r Speaker took the Chair and
the House proceeded to take the same into their Consider-
ation and being debated. Resolved the following Message be

sent to his Excellency Viz.

By the House of Delegates October 4^th 1708

In Answer to your Excellency's Speech to the House this
Day in Relation to the Charter which your Excellency was
pleased to grant to the Citizens of Annapolis this House have
taken into Consideration what we have done upon Complaint
of several of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of Annapolis who
conceive themselves under some Hardships by the said Charter
lately granted by your Excellency to some Gentlemen to in-
corporate them into a Body Politick or Fraternity by the Name
of Mayor Recorder Aldermen and Common Council of the said
City this House being in Concurrence with your Excellency
and the Honble Council the proper Center to which all ag-
grieved may apply themselves for Redress doth humbly con-
ceive that the Charter granted doth deprive some of her
Majesty's Subjects of the Rights and Privileges which the Laws
of England and this Province undoubtedly entitles them to as
Freemen as particularly their voting for Delegates or Rep-
resentatives in the General Assembly and make them liable to
be sued for small Debts which the Laws of this Province im-
powers any single Justice to hear and determine, and taken
from the Public those Lands & Buildings they purchased and
erected and other Privileges.

p. 333

We do humbly beg Leave to shew that it's not out of any
Disrespect to your Excellency or any Desire to lessen the Pre-
rogative of the Crown or the Powers her Majesty has invested
y^r Excellency with, but observing it is not to be plainly exprest
is your Excellency's Commission we conceive it to be our
Duty (on Behalf of those we represent) to beg Leave that
your Excellency will have so much Regard to the Opinion of
this House as to leave the granting of Charters undetermined
until her Majesty's Pleasure therein be further known, and
when your Excellency shall have it more plainly exprest we
shall readily concur with granting of a Charter provided all
the Inhabitants and ffreeholders of Annapolis request the same
and have their equal Privileges in choosing their Represent-
atives and all other Privileges which by the Laws they are en-
titled to; and that the Privileges granted be according to the
Laws of England and this Province and that the publick Lands