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

U. H. J.

Sent to the Lower House by Philip Lee Esq^r
The following message is prepared and sent to the Lower House
by John Rousby Esq^r viz.

By the Upper House of Assembly October the 24^th 1728
Gentlemen
In answer to your Message yesterday by James Harris Esq^r &
M^r Key we take leave to assure you that as we have hitherto done
so are we ever determined to avoid disputes that are not absolutely
necessary as well as to exert our endeavours equally with your
House for the publick good Welfare of the Country
We are apprehensive that your House might misapprehend our
intention in that part of our message which relates to the deduc-
tion to be made of Officers Fees and therefore take leave to Ac-
quaint you that in proposing the present regulation should be com-
formable to that in 1725 we did not intend any further deduction
should be made from those fees altho A Tobacco Law should be
made for lessening the Quantity of Tobacco for we are of opinion
that the fees in that Regulation are so small that if the price of
Tobacco should Advance upon making a Tobacco Law those fees

p. 364

would be but a bare sufficiency for a Support of the Several Officers
but because it may be Objected that perhaps Tobacco may rise
beyond what is now expected we are willing that a Liberty be given
to the people to pay those fees in money at the rate of ten shillings
p Cent by a certain day and this we hope if Tobacco should ad-
vance will encourage the Importation of Money and prove a double
Advantage to the good people of this Province & we are likewise
very willing that any omissions in the regulation of Fees Anno
1725 should be now Supplied.
As to the power given to the Deputy Commissarys we must still
insist upon its being reinvested in the Commissary General who as
we are Informed has found by Experience that the publick Advan-
tage and convenience to the Orphans and Widows consists in its
being so for by his care and Circumspection (agreable to the Char-
acter you gave him) Errors and mistakes frequently committed by
the several Deputy Commissarys to the prejudice of those helpless
People have been found out and ordered to be regulated and so
cautious have some Gentlemen in that Office formerly been as not
to suffer any Commission to issue to pass any Account unless the
greatest and most urgent necessity required it and we cannot but
apprehend those poor Orphans and Widows you are so much con-
cern'd for will be more happy (and not so liable to Imposition)
under the Administration of one upright nursing father rather than
under the administration of twelve men who by an extensive power