342 Assembly Proceedings, October 6-November 6, 1725.

L. H. J.

The House adjourns till to Morrow Morning Nine of the
Clock.

Saturday Octo^r the 23^rd 1725
The House meets according to Adjournment
Yesterdays Proceedings are Read.
The Bill Relating to Runaway Negroes &c^a read again and
the Question put whether the Reward shall be five pounds
Generally for all taken up above Monoccosey [or] stand as
it is now in the Bill. Carried by Majority of Votes, that it
be five pounds Generally. Thereupon the Bill is Committed
for Amendments.
The following Message is prepared Viz:

By the Lower House of Assembly
Oct^r the 23^rd 1725

p. 47

May it please Your Honours.
We observe by Your Message of the 22^d Instant Your
Honours have fallen upon a Method of Signifying your As-
sent to Engrost Bills, which seems to us to be Intirely new.
The Method we proposed to Your Honours was according
to the Practice Constantly used till April Assembly 1715, at
which time we find the practise was first altered, but for what
Causes does not appear. We Concieve it to be a thing past
by as of Little Consequence, But for that we Cannot be sure
of avoiding Inconveniences by such an Innovation in our
Parliamentary Practice Us'd both in the time of his Lord-
ships Ancestors, and all the time of the Crown's Government,
We Intreat Your Honours not to Enter into Debates with us
Concerning it. As to his Honour the Governours perusall
of such Bills, we Cannot but presume him sufficiently apprized
of them by their being debated in Your House \vhere he pre

sides, we therefore pray Your Honours not to oppose the
Renovation of so Long Establisht a Parliamentary Practice
Amongst us.
Signed p Order. Mich Jenifer Cl. Lo: Ho.

Which was Sent to the Upper House by M^r Smith and
Coll^o Herman
They return and Say they delivered it.
A Bill brought in by Cap^t Gale declaring female Mulattoes
born of White Women and free Negro Women to be Tax-
ables was Read the first time, And the Question being put
whether they shall be Taxables or not? It passed in the