The Lower House. 377

declaring Probatts and acknowledgments &c: before the
Magistrates of Annapolis to be Valid.
And the Bill to Encourage the Taking up of Runaway
Negroes Severally thus Endorst viz :

By the Upper House of Assembly
Octo^r the 29^th 1725
The Engrost Bill whereof this is the originall is Assented
to by this House
Sign'd p Order Geo: Plater Cl. Up: Ho :

The following Message is prepared viz :

By the Lower House of Assembly

Octo^r the 29^th 1725
May it please Your Honours.

L. H. J.

Notwithstanding Your Message of this day by John Hall
Esq^r we shall still persist in our Resolution of Declining all
unnecessary Debates with you and shall Act both with Respect
to you and us as becomes the peoples Representatives. If by
your Message of the 28^th Instant you did not give us Reason
to believe that you were of Opinion no Servants ought to be
Committed but for some Misbehaviour or Offence Actually
Committed we misconcieved it. We demonstrated in our
former Message an Evill that wanted a Remedy, we pro-
posed a Remedy by this Bill, and beg'd you if you did not like
it to propose a Better. You neither seem to like it nor pro-
pose any other, and 'tis plain the Acts already in force
provide not in the Case. It follows then that an Evill Re-
mains which we endeavour but you decline to Remedy. Our
Duty Nevertheless Obliges us to Insist upon your further
Consideration of the Evill Complained of and the Bill pro-
posed to Redress it
Signed p Order Mich: Jenifer Cl. Lo: Ho :

Which was sent to the Upper House by M^r King and M^r
Johnson
They Return and say they delivered it

M^r Speaker Communicates to this House his Honour the

Governours Answer to the further Address of this House
viz:
29^th Octo^r 1725
Gentlemen.
I have perused your address to me of Yesterday, to which
please to Recieve my following Answer.

p. 78