The Upper House. 445

Comissarys Gen^ll for a Speciall Comicon for the same, with
which Concession it being the greatest we can Make we hope
that Bill will pass your House.
Signed p Order Geo Plater Cl Up Ho.

Sent down by Phil Lee Esq^r who says he Delivered it.
The petition of some of the late Practitioners of the Law
praying to be heard ag^t the preamble of the Bill Entituled An
Act for restraining the ill practices of Attorneys as follows
viz.

To the Honourable the Upper House of Assembly

The Petition of Some of the late Practitioners of the Law in
this province

Humbly Sheweth
That a Bill haveing pass'd the Honble the Lower House
Entituled An Act to restrain the ill practices of Attorneys
and to prevent their takeing money ffees and ascertaining
what fees shall be allowed to Practitioners in the Law who
shall attend the Circuit Courts, which Bill Contains the fol-
lowing Preamble, Whereas the sundry Laws that have been
heretofore made to restrain the Evill practices of Attorneys
and to Ascertain their Tobacco fees in the severall Courts of
this Province have been found ineffectual in so much that
Complaints are made from sundry parts of this Province
of the Exorbitant fees taken by Councillors at Law Chamber
Councell Barristers, Attorneys and other Practitioners and
Advisers in the Law to the great Damage and Aggrievance

U. H. J.

of the good People of this Province and Impoverishing them-
selves and familys all which this generall Assembly hath taken
into their most serious Consideration and for prevention
thereof do pray that it may be Enacted,
That no proof being Offered nor any Single Instance
given that your Petitioners or any of them were or was
guilty of any Extortion or Violation of any former Laws nor
of any other misbehaviour in their profession; they Con-
ceive themselves to labour under very great Hardships by a
Charge of so heinous a nature standing against them in a
publick Law, which Charge neither can, nor ever was At-
tempted to be proved. Your Petitioners therefore humbly
pray that they may not be deprived of the Rights of British
Subjects who by the Laws of God & their Country have an
Indubitable Tytle to the Enjoyment of their Lives Libertys,
Propertys and what is Dearer, their Reputation untill they
are convict of some Crime but that they may have an oppor-

p. 19