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

L. H. J.

is not only founded on the Common Law, and Consequently
Common right of our Country but hath been declared so by
the Legislature of this province fifty two years ago, in An
Act Intituled An Act for raising and provideing a Support
for the Lord Proprietary in these words viz. That as Govern-
ment is Necessary for the Conservation of all Societies, the
Charge of Every Government without which it Cannot pos-
sibly subsist, ought to be born by those whose Conservation
Depends Upon the Government, for and towards the Defray-
ing the many great and necessary Expences of Government
Among which Exigencies and necessary Expences of Govern-
ment the Sallarys of his Lordships privy Councell are enumer-
ated. But after the Revolution, and his Majesty King Wil-
liam the third had taken the Government of this province into
his own possession, Lionell Copley Esq^r was Appointed Gov-
ernour thereof, that Gentleman Convened a Generall Assem-
bly at S^t Marys upon the tenth day of May 1692, at which
Session, among Other things an Imposition of four pence p
Gallon was laid Upon Liquors Imported, and part of the Im-
post Ariseing thereon Applyed to the Support of a Councill
of State
Thus Gentlemen we find the Case stands upon the Journalls
of those times, and that the Councellors were paid their
Allowances out of the Impost Duty of four pence p Gallon,
nine pence part of the Impost of twelve pence p hh^d being
paid to the Governour, and the remaining three pence Appro-
priated to the purchase of Arms, and for the Countrys Use,
the Councellors had no place of Resort but to the Country,
who made provision for them by the Act Aforesaid. But that
Act, as we find it, was also repealed within two years time and
one other Act made at a Session held at S^t Marys Septb^r the
21^st 1694 where by the Same Impost of four pence p Gallon
upon Liquors was still Continued to the uses in the same
Exprest viz. for the building & repairing Court Houses, ffree-
schools and such publick Services.
But altho those words such publick Services may Admit
of Various Constructions, yet the sense of the Legislature
of that time is altogether in our favour they made the Act,
and they were the best Acquainted with the Intention of it ;
And as if the Councellors Sallaries had been Expressly
mentioned among those Other publick Services, they paid
them off duely out of the Revenue Ariseing from that Act,
untill the time that One hundred and fifty pounds of To-
bacco was Assigned them in Lieu of their Sallaries at thirty
pounds Sterl p Annum as Appears more fully by a Loose
Sheet of the Journall of the Lower House page 45 whereon