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

L. H. J.
Lib. 41
p. 372

The said Gentlemen of the Council likewise delivered the
following Message to M^r Speaker

By the Council in Assembly
Nov. 14^th 1712

We have considered the Bill by you sent up this Day by
M^r John Mackall & seven others of your House and the Mes-
sage accompanying the same; and since we have as eminently
justified that we have the true Interest of our Country as
much at Heart as any of your House if we differ in Judgment
about the Time and Manner of promoting some Things you
think will conduce to it we know not why you should (after
we have endeavoured to redress the greatest Aggrievances you
represented at the Beginning of this Session) reflect upon us
not only as partial and unjust in denying you Libertys other
her Majesty's Subjects have in her Plantations but asperse us
with gratifying the Desires of merciless Creditors and mer-
cenary Officers in Order to enslave and impoverish the Com-
monality
Gentl. Unless you lay aside these Heats and Reflections
you will interrupt the Good Correspondence you ought to
cultivate with this Honble Board and render all our Endeav-
ours for the Good of the Country ineffectual; Or were you
gratified in what you desire it would be a Matter of such
Moment that it would discourage and ruin all Trade and
Commerce with us and thereby render us far more miserable
than our worst Circumstances now are and give Occasion to
Creditors loudly to complain of our Injustice and Partiality, to
the great Scandal of our Country which will not easily be
wiped off. We cannot apprehend why you should send us
such a Message unless you were conscious to yourselves we
have just Reasons to reject the Bill you propose.
Signed p Order W Bladen Cl. Council.

Upon reading and debating the aforesaid Message Resolved
it be answered as followeth

By the House of Delegates
14^th Nov. 1712.

We have read and considered your Message last sent us
by Col^o Holland and four other Members of your Board and
know not how you can interpret our Message this Morning
to reflect on your Honours when we never designed it we
cannot help your differing in Judgment from us but since you
must own we more immediately represent the People than