128 Assembly Proceedings, October 3-November 2, 1728.

U. H. J.

the first it is true that several of the fees were reduced by the Con-
ferees under what they were limited to in the Year 1725 with good
Reason as we conceive for we take it for granted that when the
quantity each Officer ought to receive for his Services comes to be
considered by the Legislature the Principal thing to be regarded is

p. 359

the real value of the Service & when what the service is justly worth
is allowed he that receives that Allowance has as much in Justice
and Reason as he ought to have and we can prove to a demonstra-
tion that the fees as limited by the Conferees are a decent Support
for the respective Officers are ample Rewards for the Services to
be done for the said fees and it is evident by the Report it self that
great care has been taken not only to allow fees that were Omitted
in the former Regulation but also to encrease such as fell short of
Rewards Adequates to the Service to be done for them that the
fees as regulated by the Conferees are a decent support for the
respective Officers would appear manifestly if a Calculation was
made of the Income of such as one in a Condition by having a Con-
siderable number of Slaves to make large Quantitys of Tobacco
and that Calculation compared with the Profits of several (even
of the midling Offices) and we beg leave to Observe further that
nothing ought to be Assessed upon a particular man or number of
Men but for the good and safety of Society and in proportion to
what the other members of the same Society bear but what such
particular men or number of men receive the value of whence it
follows that if the fees regulated by the Conferees were not really
what your Honours intend by a decent Support for the Officers it
would be of no weight Provided those fees be (as they really are)
ample rewards for the Services to be done for them besides the
Circumstances of the Country makes it our Indispensable duty to
avoid as much as in us lies and as is Consistent with Justice Adding
to the heavy and almost insupportable Burthens the People already
given under which we conceive would be the case should we agree
to raise the fees of Ministerical Officers beyond the true Value of
their Services and which we hope your Honours have too much
Compassion for the People to desire much less to press, To the sec-
ond we conceive that the fall of Tobacco is no reason for Advanc-
ing the fees unless such fall enables people to make the greater
Quantity of it can be proved that it does it will follow that the fees
ought to be advanced in proportion for the Officers like all other
members of the Society ought to have their proportion of publick
Advantages as they must bear an equal share of publick incon-
veniences and tho Tobacco is in truth lower than it was in 1725 yet
have the people nothing to depend on for a Support but what the
remains of A Crop after Officers and others are paid their demands
will produce and if the sinking the value of Tobacco be a Reason
for the Augmentation of Officers fees and that they are accordingly