446 Assembly Proceedings, March 15-23, 1725/6.

U. H. J.

tunity of knowing their Accusers, the particular facts with
which they are Charged, and of defending themselves, That
private Whispers, slanders and false Insinuacons may not be
admitted as Conclusive Evidence against them; Your Pe-
titioners hereby (as they already have in the Lower House)
Challengeing and defying all or any of their Inveterate and
Implacable Enemies and Calumniators to prove them guilty
of any one single Instance of Extortion, Oppression Perjury
or Injustice, and Offering not only to be tryed according to
the known Laws of the Land, but at their own Expence to
send for any Evidences their Accuser shall Name to any part

p. 20

of the Province, or Neighbouring Colonies. Your Petition-
ers do not apply for any Enlargement or Alteracon of the
Attorneys ffees nor for lessening the hardships contained
in the said Bill against those of their profession, tho' they are
able to prove beyond Contradiction that the ffees limited by
the Acts of Assembly would not in the Superiour Courts and
in many Cases in the Inferiour pay for one halfe of what
the Attorneys are Obliged to write, without regarding what
they must do as Councillours Attorneys and Sollicitors in
every Case & of Prothonitary, Secondary, cursitor, Sheriffe
Surveyour and Bookkeeper in many Cases, all which dutys
they must Discharge or not serve their Clyents to any pur-
pose it being matter of Indifference to your Petitioners in
their present Circumstances what ffees are allowed or whether
any or not. But they humbly pray for and insist on your
Honours Justice to Consider whether the Act it self as it now
Contains a Charge against them without their ever being Ac-
quainted with the particular facts of which the Charge if true
must Consist or giveing them any opportunity of a Defence
be not Destructive of those Rights and Priviledges they are
Intituled to as Brittish Subjects and whether the very act
it selfe can pass without a manifest Infraction of the Con-
ditions annext by the Royall Charter to your Legislative
Capacity, Viz^t that the Acts you pass be Consonant to reason
and be not repugn^t or Contrary but as near as Conveniently
may be agreable to the Laws, Statutes Customs and Rights
of England
And they will ever pray Daniel Dulany
Thomas Bordley
Joshua George
Michael Howard

p 21

Ordered that the late Practitioners be heard according to
the Prayer of the said Petition
A Bill from the Lower House by M^r King and M^r Gale