The Upper House. 379

By the Council in Assembly
July the 2^d 1714

We do own that the Multiplying of Messages tends very
much to the Delay of Business. We are sorry We have any
Occasion thereof which would have been prevented had you
taken Notice of the Recommendation sent you in favour of
the Attornys practising in the County Courts immediately
after the Amendments to the Bill proposed and even before
they were debated in your House.
The merchants in England may justly complain that for want
of due Encouragement given such Attornys they cannot find
fit persons to prosecute their Actions in such Courts where-
fore we must insist upon the Clause recommended to be added
which is the only delay given to the Bill
Signed p Order W Bladen Cl Coun.

Sent by Col Coursey & Col Greenfield
The Bill reviving the Act of Assembly of this province
Entituled an Act for Limitation of Officers fees and for sup-
plying some defects therein being read & debated It is
remarked that the Explanatory Bill thereto is omitted to be
revived

It is thought the Fee proposed to the Sherriff for keeping
a Prisoner twenty four hours in Custody is too little therefore
It is recommended that the Sherriff be allowed 20^lb tob^o p
day for the first month & 10^lb a day after And that the Sher-
riff may have fees from Convict Criminals, but that no such
Sherriffs Fees be charged to the Countys

U. H. J.
p. 933

Recommended that the Fees likewise to be allowed the
Clerk of the Council in Assembly by this Board on private
Bills be also on Execution with the Clerk of your House
The penalty of six thousand pounds of tobacco is thought
sufficient to deter any Officer from Extorting & the Disabling
them from Executing their Offices for three years is a Snare
any honest Officer may happen even by the Inadvertance of
a Clerk to fall into Wherefore we desire the s^d Amendments
may be made to the Bill which being so Endorsed was sent
to the Delegates by L^t Col Young & Col Addison.
M^r Stoddert & five more Delegates brought up a Bill for
laying 3^d p hh^d on Tob^o for defraying the publick Charge
Read & Assented to by their House Which was read and
assented to by this Board and sent to the Delegates by Col
Holland & M^r Lloyd

The s^d M^r Stoddert & other five Delegates brought up the
following message

p. 934