The Lower House. 143

proper for the common Good; For we esteem it impracticable
for his L^pp (a Stranger to the place at so Great a Distance
from us) to be rightly advised of these things, but by your
means and the Representations of us his faithfull Tenants ;
and since by a late Instruction from his L^pp it was easy to
observe his L^pp had taken advice from some that were
unacquainted, perhaps for want of yours, It seems strange
that your Honours should propose the waiting for his L^pps
Advice, instead of giving your advice to his L^pp in what is
agreeable to our Constitution & publick Weal: This seems
so far to invert the order and end of your office that we hope
your Honours will not further insist on it as a Cause for
deferring your concurrence in the point desired. For as we
Esteem it no ways necessary for faithfull Councillors to know
what will please their Prince before they give him their
Advice (unless they seek his favour and consult his pleasure
rather than his reall Interest) so we cannot think but it would
be much to your own Satisfaction and for his L^pps Service
to give your Advice the quickest Dispatches to him you pos-
sibly can to prevent his L^dps being further beholden to
strangers to o^r Constitution for want of your good offices
to him.
We use our Endeavours, we can Sincerely say, to Cultivate
& p^rserve a Good understanding with you for the Common
Good, and we cannot Employ our Endeavours better than by
using those freedoms with you that are necessary for the
Common Good, and altho' you should think those freedoms
unbecomeing us to use with you, who wear a Dignity in this
State that Stiles you our Superiors; yet as we shall never
prostitute plain dealing, to the Servile force of Compliment
when our Countreys Good your Honour and our Duty require
plainness, We shall rather Choose to bear your Censure if we
incurr it, than be wanting in this part, and in pursuit of this
Resolution we give you our thoughts that if your Honours had
been free in Communicating to his L^pps your Sense of our
Resolves in the year 1722 when they were Communicated to
you, It might have Given his L^dp reason to have withstood the
Importunities of those that forwarded the Instruction that
caused our late Address. And if when your Honours were
acquainted with our Address you had then appriz'd his L^pp of
your thoughts upon it, they might probably have saved his
L^pp the Labour of much Enquiry and have precaution'd him
against Such further Steps as may be founded on the like
advice to Strangers to our Constitution, the consequences of
which we cannot guess at, but if they prove amiss your
Honours must give your Country leave to lay them at your

L. H. J.