18 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761.

Lib. J. R.
& U. S.

two Houses: You may and are hereby permitted to give your
Consent to such Bill or if any Fee or Fees in the present
regulation should appear to you and the Council of State to
be too large or exorbitant or otherwise improper You are
hereby directed and Impowered by and with the Advice and
Consent of the said Council to make such Abatements and
Alterations therein as may be most expedient and Proper
And Whereas the Upper house the Council of State for
some years past have thought it Reasonable to withhold some
Bills from Passing their house Viz'
An Act for the Tryal of all Matters of Fact in the Several
Counties where they have arisen or shall Arise
An Act continuing an Act entitled an Act for the Recovery
of Small Debts out of Court before a Single Justice of the
Peace.

p. 15

An Act continuing an Act Entituled an Act for the Relief
of Poor Debtors Which aforesaid Acts have been refused by
our said Council to be passed by them though Sent up to them
from the Lower house of Assembly; by Reason of the Lower
house not passing the three pence p Hogshead for Arms and
Ammunition; That so necessary a Bill for the Safety and
defence of our said Province, might go hand & hand with the
other Bills as has been and is usually practiced in the other
Governments of America, and which I find by the proceed-
ings of Assembly during my Minority has been all that the
Lower house of Assembly themselves have pretended to con-
tend for, except such Matters as they could not seriously be
for; they being such as must produce a negative to Govern-
ment
19. Now my Inclination and desire is that you with the
Advice of our said Council of State shall on Mature and
Serious Consideration judge for the aforesaid Acts to be
expedient and Absolutly necessary for the Benefit Utility
and welbeing of our Inhabitants of our said Province of
Maryland you are hereby directed and Empowered to give
your assent thereto though I cannot help observing on the
last mentioned Act That if it is intended as an Act of In-
solvency it ought to be under such or the like Restrictions and
penaltys as are constantly incerted in Acts of like kind which
have been Enacted and passed by the Legislature of Great
Britain; as the passing such an Act without such Restric-
tions and penaltys may be of Destructive Consequence to
just and honest Creditors; And this you will Consider your-
self and take the Advice of our said Council; As to the Act
for three pence p hogshead for Arms & Ammunition you
will use your best Endeavours to obtain the same as it has