The Lower House. 413

that may happen by Mistaken Constructions put upon Your
Lordships Words we shall always Endeavour to Construe
them by Your Actions The Best Interpreter.
2^d We begg Leave to Assure Your Lordship that the
Pleasure we Indulged our selves with by Asserting in our
Late Address that we were his Majesties Subjects was not
done with the Least Intent to give your Lordship any offence
but apparently us'd therein as a Necessary Foundation for
other Arguments, But we Profess to your Lordship we can
find no foundation or Cause for your Lordships Remark in
any Resolution of ours concerning his Majesty's Title to this
Province, under whom and within the Bounds thereof may
you always Justly Rule according to Your Charter, for it is
according to that Charter we Expect to be Govern'd.
3^d Your Lordship seems to Suppose us Conquerors of the
Indians; but in this we doubt your Lordship has Misunder-
stood our Resolves, and the State of Your Country: We deny

L. H. J.

all Conquest. This Country was got by Occupation and not by
Conquest. We and our Ancestors transplanted our selves
hither, and the Indians never Submitted to our Arms, nor
are on other terms with us than on Treaties and Leagues
of Friendship. Therefore we have no Right to treat them as
a Conquered People, but shall always pay such Regard to
Humanity and Your Lordships Recommendation as to treat
them justly and Like Neighbouring Allies.
4: And now May it please your Lordship we begg your
Patience while we proceed to Answer the Severall Para-
graphs of your Speech, Relating to the English Statutes, But
we first Beseech your Lordship that you will Suppose your
Self Rightly Informed in the Affairs of Your Country, when
you are Inform'd by your Country, and that whenever any
thing we assert, is deny'd, you will please to lett us know it,
and our Oposers, and give us Oppertunity of Justifying the
Truth, and on the present Occasion we declare that your
Lordship has not been Rightly Informed by those that In-
form'd you, there had been many Debates in former As-
semblies, whether the Statutes of England Extended to us
or no, and if your Lordship pleases to be Referred to the
Resolves of the Late Assembly Unanimously Assented to,

by Doth Houses, Your Lordship will find that Information

to be Somewhat Contrary to what Your Country there In-
form'd You, and we Cannot without Concern observe Your
Lordships Diffidence in us, or Superior Confidence in others
concerning this Matter.
We are Sorry to hear from Your Lordship that the Com-
mon Receiv'd opinions of the best Lawyers in England are

p. no