144 Assembly Proceedings, Oct. 28-Nov. 15, 1712.

L H. J.
Lib. 41

Oppression her Majesty's poor Subjects labour under by the
unreasonableness of their Attendance on the Provincial Courts
and the great ffees that are there taken. We believe the
Honble President hath now as full Instructions as any Capt.
General can expect to pass any Bills of absolute Necessity
being invested with a Negative Voice. And if your Honours
will assert your own Authority and the Dignity of your Board
to remove this and other great Aggrievances we have to lay
before you it will be no Breach but a Performance of your
Duty to her Majesty a real and not feigned Intent and Desire
to serve the Country in which you have a great Interest and
more Reputation than so nicely to insist on and deny any
Thing that tends to ease the Inhabitants of this Province when
the same interferes with the Interest of some particular Per-

p. 346

sons. But if your Honours think it more necessary and will
consent that a new Bill may be past to remedy those Aggriev-
ances (tho' under some other Title) we shall readily concur
with you therein, if not, we desire we may not stay here to
no Purpose and spend our Time and the Country's Money
we being resolved to proceed in no other Matter until we
know your Resolution herein the Business of this House being
as well to ease the Inhabitants of their grievous and unmerci-
ful Oppressions as to raise a Supply to defray the Charge of
the Country
Signed p Order Rich^d Dallam Cl. Ho. Del.

Ordered M^r James Lloyd, M^r Charles Hammond, M^r James
ffrisby, M^r John Broome, M^r S^t Ledger Codd, M^r Thomas
Brooke, M^r James Mackall, and M^r Henry Ennalls carry up
the said Message to the Honble Council.
They return and say they delivered the Message.

The Serjeant attendant according to Order brought to the
Bar of this House, James Presbury Sheriff of Baltimore
County. M^r Speaker informed him that he was charged with
Partiality and Neglect of his Duty in the Election of Members
for that County. The Sherriff confessed he was now sensible
thereof and excused himself saying 'twas his Ignorance and
some menacing Letters he had from some Gentlemen living
about Potapsco that occasioned it and not any Contempt and
humbly submitted himself to the Censure of this House
praying them to consider his poor Condition and the Parties
made in his County & withdrew
The House debated the Cause of sending for the Sheriff,
his Excuse, and considering the great and many Disturbances
and Heats among the People of the County of Baltimore and
that the Sheriff was ignorantly drawn into this Misfeazance
in his Office,