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

L. H. J.

p. 59

think we ought to have the same tender Regard for the prop-
erties of Masters in their Servants as that Legislature had
for which Reasons we have Refused to pass your Bill for the
Disposall of Servants Committed for want of Security for
their good behaviour.
Sign'd p Order Geo. Plater Cl. Up: Ho :

Coll^o Ward from the upper House delivers M^r Speaker
the Bill for Relief of poor prisoners, and the Bill Declaring
Probats in Annapolis Severally thus Endorst viz :

By the Upper House of Assembly.

Octo^r the 28: 1725
Read and will pass.
Sign'd p Order Geo. Plater Cl. Up: Ho:

Thereupon past for Engrossing.
The following Message prepared viz:

By the Lower House of Assembly

Octo^r the 28^th 1725
May it please Your Honours.
We are Sorry to find ourselves Mistaken when we under-
stood by your Message of the 25^th Instant that you were far
from desiring to Enter into unnecessary debates with us.
You are pleased to say you Cannot Imagine any Injury done
to the Priviledge of our House by the practice you Insist on,
or what Inconveniency may arise from it; you will please to
observe every Innovation Contrary to a good Constitution
is an Injury to it, and the practice we pray a Renovation of
has been the Constant practice used and Approved during
the Government of his Lordships Ancestors and of the
Crown and only Suffered alteration in the beginning of his
present Lordships Dominion without any Notice being taken
of it by Either House that appears on the Journals and Con-
sequently without argument; and Alterations of Ancient
Customes made Sub silentio are never accounted of Weight
Sufficient to sanction them; Every Innovation is to be Care-
fully watch'd against by those that like and have a mind to
preserve their Establishments. There may happen Incon-
veniencies by Alterations that we may not foresee at the time
of making them, but may afterwards feel by bad Experience
when it may be Insisted on as too Late to Remedy them. An
Instance of this Your Honours give us Now by Insisting on a
Ten Years practice Crept in amongst us unobserved without
any Sanction against the generall practice of former times.