346 Assembly Proceedings, May 14-June 6, 1719.

U. H. J.

The following- message being- Agreed upon is sent to the
Lower House Viz.

By the uper house of Assembly June 4^th 1719
Gent.
On Reading and Considering your Message by M^r Robert
Tyler & M^r Charles Wright relating to the Bill for the Regu-
lation of Officers Fees we Cann^t but think you too Positive in
Resolving to Deprive the Country of the Benefitt of the form-
er Law made for that Purpose which we cann^t But think has
been very usefull in Restraining the Severall Officers from
Charging & Extorting Excessive Fees & makeing them Liable
to a Prosecution and Penalty for so Doing, rather than admitt
of a Regulation of that Bill now Proposed by you.

P. 98

Wee arc of Opinion as well as you that some of the Fees
Allowed Severall Officers by the former Law are too highly
rated And may be Reduced but we think that the Regulation
Proposed in your Bill does so much Abridge the Perquisites of
some of those Offides as not to afford a Sufficient Support for
the Characters and Stations of the psons who Execute them
besides we Conceive we should make but a Very ungratefull
Return to his Lordship And Our Gov^r for the many favours
we Acknowledge to have Rec^d from them if we should at Once
so Extravagantly lessen the Revenues of those Offices which
are their Imediate Dependance. And as we are a part of the
Legislature for this pvince we think we have a Right to Inter-
pose our Opinions And that Such a Regulation would have
been much more Properly made by a Joint Comittee Consist-
ing of some of the members of Both houses.
In fine Gentl we hope we have the Interest of our Country at
heart as much as you & in Discharging our Duties Believe we
Ought not to Oppress the Poor nor do Injustice to the Rich but
to pay a Just Regard to all Degrees of men by Divine Provi-
dence Establish'd amongst us
But if notwithstanding what we now Offer you resolve
neither to Revive the old Law nor admitt a more moderate
Regulation of the new One by you Proposed we Doubt not

p. 99

but the Evill Consequence which must necessarily follow
such a Resolution will be Imputed to you & not to us who
Resolve not to Pass that Bill as it now Stands.
Signed p Order John Beard Cl Uper House

Sent p Esq^r Hall who returns & Says He Delivered it
M^r Joseph Hill & four others with the Journall of the Com-
ittee of Accounts Read & Assented to by the Lower House.