The Lower House. 179

as by the Proviso therein more fully appears which words if
your Honours approve them better may be added to this Bill.
But upon the whole the Vote having been put with us
whether to Recede from the Rates propos'd in the Bill it was
carried in the Negative and therefore we cannot recede
from it
Sign'd p order M Jenifer Cl. Lo. Ho.

Which was sent to the Upper house by M^r Bozman and M^r
Hawkins
They return and Say they delivered it
The House Adjourns till to Morrow Morning nine of the
Clock.

Wednesday Nov^r 4^th 1724
The House meets according to Adjournment
Yesterday's proceedings are Read.
Resolved that Hemp & Flax be paid at any Landing or
convenient place instead of paying at Towns according to
the form^r Law
James Bowles Esq^r from the Upper House delivers M^r
Speaker the following message viz.

By the Upper House of Assembly November the 4^th 1724
Gentlemen.
In Answer to your message of yesterday by M^r Bozman
and M^r Hawkins, We assure you that we have many times
Read and considered both the Bill and the Provisoe, and the
more we Read the more we admire, that you should contend
for such a forced & improper Construction of them. As for
your Argument drawn from the Provisoe in the Bill we think
it Carrys as Little weight as those you have used to main-
tain Your Sense of the Clause in the Bill, for if none but
merch^ts were menconed in the Bill, that Provisoe would be
necessary because it may often happen that merchants may
have publick allowances or be intituled to some part of the
forty p poll and then if the Provisoe was not made they must
be obliged to take flax & hemp in payment for those publick
dues.
But waving all further Debates of this kind we desire you
will be pleas'd to Consider the Evil Consequences that must
needs ensue if the Act for Ascertaining officers ffees be
Sufferr'd to Expire, for then there will be no Rule between
the officers and the people, what Charges shall be made for

L. H. J.