The Lower House. 145

Coll^o Ward from the Upper House Delivers M^r Speaker the
Bill for relieving the Inhabitants of this Province from the
hardships they may lie under by reason of the Scarcity of
Tobacco this year thus Endorst Viz.

By the Upper House of Assembly Oct^r 28^th 1724
Gentlemen.
On Reading and considering this Bill we observe that
altho we find it to be drawn as near as may be, Consonant
& agreeable to the Report of the Conferrees appointed upon
this Occasion, and further Directions of both Houses of
Assembly relating thereto, yet upon Second consideration
thereof many Inconveniencies do occurr to us, which will
render the Bill more Injurious than Advantageous to the
Good people of this province; the Inconveniencies we appre-
hend are as follows.
First, we are apprehensive that it will be a great Inducem^t
to Perjurie.
Secondly, that it gives some people an opportunity to delay
payment this year, tho' they have Tobacco, For many men
may make Oath on or before the Twenty fifth day of Decem-
ber, that they have no Tobacco nor any due to them, that
they can get, and yet Collect great Sums afterwards, and dis-
pose of them as they please without applying any part to the
discharge of their publick or private Debts.
Thirdly, That people being obliged by oaths to apply all
their Tobacco to particular Engagem^ts will be Injurious to
other Creditors especially merch^ts and late Sherriffs.
Fourthly, it is no benefit to poor people for if they must
apply all their Tobacco to the discharge of their Engagem^ts

L. H. J.

They will not have any to Supply the Greatest necessities so
that the remedy is worse than the Disease.
Fifthly, that Tradesmen and others who never make it
their Employment to make Tobacco, may evade paying not
only their private Contracts, but publick dues also.

Sixthly, it will be productive of a Multitude of Law suits
for Creditors finding themselves aggrieved by Colour of this
Law will be more severe with their Debtors for the time to
come.
Seventhly, that as in some former Laws so in this many un-
foreseen difficulties and mischiefes will arise in the Execu-
tion of it; for which reasons we cannot agree to pass this
Bill as it now Stands.
Sign'd p order Sam^ll Skippon Cl Up. Ho.

10

p 167