576 Assembly Proceedings, September 23-October 26, 1723.

U. H. J.

ations attempted to Surprize you, or to bring you over to our
opinions however Just and reasonable we ourselves may think

p. 140

them to be. We have proceeded in the usual Methods Practised
between the two Houses and thereby have done our Parts
tow^ds the preserving a perfect Confidence and Good under-
standing between your House and ours: which you seem to
have forgot, if we may judge of your Sentiments by the matter
contained in your Message of Tuesday last by M^r Crabb and
five others. For notwithstanding that you have refused to
make us the Customary Allowances, for attending as a Coun-
cil of State; yet have we not fail'd in Point of Charity, or
good manners, tho' greatly provoked thereto, as believeing
that your denyal proceeded rather from a Principle of Justice
to your Country, than from any Resolution of denying us that
which you your selves once thought to be our Just Right.
Whilst You, we must be free to tell you, for want of those

good Dispositions, w^th an Uncharitable Construction upon the

Manner of our Claims, load us with sin of Calumny, and as
treating you in a Manner unworthy of our House; which in
your Opinion, as it is insinuated in your Message, we ought
to decline with Abhorrence We must confess th^t we have
been Always ready and willing to be Advised by the Lower
House, in matters that regard the Publick Good; but as to Acts
of Abhorrence, we must let you know, that they ought rather
to Come up from your House where the foundation of them
was first laid by an Unparliamentary & unpresidented Charge

p. 141

against us, as acting unworthily of our House, when we
insisted barely upon a matter of Right which the Journals &
former proceedings of both Houses do sufficiently Justify
us in and prove Evidently that the unworthy Acts of this
Session, ought not to be laid at our Door.
Gentlemen, We are still of Opinion, that Our Claims as a
Council of State, are founded on Law and good conscience;
without the necessity of Coming up to those better conclu-
sions, which you expect from us. For it seems by your Mes-
sage of the 15^th Instant that the proceedings of your own
House are grounded upon mistakes, which insensibly wound
our happy Constitution, that hath made a Provision of Coun-
celors for the Aid & greater Security of Princes and Gov-
ernours upon all Emergent Occasions, wherein nevertheless,
the Common Weal of the People is necessarily involved.
We readily Agree with you that so Long as you look upon the
Office and Busieness of Councelors of State, to be for the
Support of the Prerogative only, it is no wonder th' you are so
unwilling to burthen your Country with the Charge of Our
services But give us leave Gent to tell you that the Duty of
our Office, as well as the Oath which we have taken, for the