418 Assembly Proceedings, June 22- July 3, 1714.

L. H. J.
Lib. 41

Col^o Coursey, Col^o Whittington and John Dorsey Esq^r
from the Honble the Council enter the House and deliver M^r
Speaker the Bill for Limitation of Officers Fees with the fol-
lowing Endorsement Viz.

By the Council in Assembly
June the 30^th 1714

This Bill being read and debated at the Board it is thought
if it should pass and the Officers Fees be reduced as is thereby
proposed it will not only discourage Men of good Learning
Integrity and Parts to accept of some of the inferior Offices
therein mentioned but also lessen and debase the State and
Dignity of the superior Officers who in their several Stations
are most useful in this Province either in the administring of
Justice or Execution thereof and ought to be handsomely sup-
ported according to their several Characters not only for the
Sake of their own Merit and Capacities but for the Honour
of the Government itself whereof they are the immediate
Ministers. Therefore this Board cannot agree to the Bill,
but desire the former Law may be revived with the explana-
tory Act thereto, His Excy the Governor and this Board
inclining not only to encourage and support such Officers as
diligently and faithfully discharge their Duty but likewise to
punish and suppress those that are any way guilty of Bribery,
Extortion, Negligence or any other unfaithful Misdemeanors
in the Execution of the several Offices and Trusts reposed in
them according to the utmost Severity of the Law.

Signed p Order W Bladen Cl. Con.

Which Bill is sent back to the Honble Council by M^r Tyler,
M^r Garrett, M^r Stoddart Capt. Colegate, Capt. Ennalls and
Major Woolford with the following Endorsem^t Viz.

By the House of Delegates
July I^st 1714.

If your Honours will peruse the Journal of Assembly held
in 1709 you will find therein that your Honours were pleased
to promise readily to join with us in regulating the Officers
Fees on the Arrival of a Capt. Gen^l The Fees in many Par-
ticulars are exorbitant and tend to the Oppression of the Peo-
ple. We are humbly of Opinion that the Fees as in this Bill
limitted considering the Multiplicity of Business are sufficient
decently to support as well Judicial as Ministerial Officers
therefore pray this Bill may pass
Signed p Order Tho. Macnemara Cl. Ho. Del.

p. 453

They return and say they delivered the same.