290 Assembly Proceedings, February 20-28, 1721/2.

U.H.J.
P. 17

A Message from the Lower House by Col Mackal and five

others Viz.

By the Lower House of Assembly

Feb 24^th 1721
May it please Your Honours

We have read and considered the Explanatory Bill to the
Act to prevent the making trashy Tobacco &c^a with the Ad-
ditions and Amendments propos'd by your House, but cannot
agree the Bill should pass with those Amendments; for that
the imposing the Oaths therein prescribed will be a great In-
troduction of perjury, and as many Inconveniencies will at-
tend the Explanatory Bill thereby, as the Act formerly past,
Wherefore we desire the Bill may now pass as it stands.
Signed p Ord^r M: Jenifer Cl Lo. ho.

To which Message the following Answer is prepared Viz.

By the Upper House of Assembly.
Feb 24^th 1721
Gentlemen. On reading your Message in Answer to ours
relating to the Additions by us proposed to be made to the
Explanatory Bill to the Act for preventing the making Trashy
Tobacco &^ca We cannot conceive that those Amendments to it
will be any Introduction to Perjury unless it be voluntary; for
that the Oaths therein prescribed will be much easier complied
with than those in the former Law, And forasmuch as the
passing the Explanatory Bill as you propose it, will render the
former Law ineffectual. Which Law by Sundry good Advices
has already had that good Effect in Europe, that it ought to
induce us to use our best Endeavours to preserve it. No
Country in the World does make (if we are not wanting to
Ourselves) so good Tobacco for a foreign Market as We; and
we can Assure you upon the Report of our Tobacco Law in

p. 18

England the Market did rise 30^th p Hogshead: and that very
Law prevented the Parliament from repealing their Act in
our Favour. And further, by sundry Advices we may expect
Several Ships with Cargoes to purchase Tobacco in Expecta-
tion of the Continuance of our Law, which otherwise would
not have ventur'd, And therefore we insist upon adding those
Amendments propos'd without which We do not think it
reasonable that Bill should pass
Signed p Ord^r Sam^l Skippon Cl. Up. ho.