to fill a long Message with reflections upon the Subject of Use-
ing the word Obstinate, which we think however to have been
very properly applyed to the Substance of Your message
wherein you tell us that a Support was Evidently rais'd for
us, yet Confess in the same Message As also in the Message
of October the 25th 1723 that we cannot possibly come at it
Signed p order Geo Plater Cl Up Ho.
Which was sent down by Benjamin Tasker Esqr who says
he Delivered it
On reading the Message Yesterday by Mr Kirk and Mr
Walter Smith the following Answer was prepared viz.
By the Upper House of Assembly Novr the 3d 1725
Gentlemen.
Whether our Message of November the 2d conerning the
Bill relating to Imprisoned Servants be foreign to the Sub-
ject under Consideration betwixt us or not, we shall not at
this time enter into any further debates with you, but if you
believe us to be of Opinion that Servants in this Province tho
Suspected of some misdemeanors are not in prudence and
discretion to be lookt upon as persons of ill fame within the
meaning of the Statutes and to be proceeded against Accord-
ingly, you are in the right for we are so; and that for the fol-
lowing reasons, first persons of ill fame in generall are such
who are at their own Disposall and have no place of residence
nor can give a good Account how they subsist; against those
the Laws do well provide, but Servants here are not such, for
they have a being and are not at their own disposeing but are
the property of their Masters, and if Masters should be
Obliged to give Security for the Behaviour of their Servants
no man would be secure of his Property in such Servants, for
either through the Inclination of the Servant to Change his
master; or the designs of an ill neighbour or the resentments
of a prejudiced Magistrate (for such there may be) they
might be taken up as persons of ill fame; and then the Master
must change Circumstances with his Servant or lose him, for
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