The Lower House. 291

Excessiveness of fees in Offices and the High terms of Rents at
present Reserved, (far Exceeding anything of the kind in any other
part of his Majesty's American Dominions that we know of) shews
it self. Whatever lies in our Power shall be done with utmost
Chearfulness to promote the Enlargment of his Majesties Empire
and Dominion in this Province by Encouraging the Settlement of
these Back and Remote parts, in hopes that thereby the Export may
be Encreased towards bettering his Majesties Revenue and the Trade
of our Mother Country Great Brittain as also the Advantages that
may Consequently Ensue to the Province.
8) We shall have a due Regard to any usefull Laws which may
Expire with this Session.
The Security Defence and Safety of this Province is so near and
Dear to us that we shall be always ready and Willing to do every
thing requisite and necessary to so good an End, and we Assure
your Excellency that your Recommendations shall always have their
due Weight with us.
The Account which your Excellency has been pleased to lay before
this House shall be considered, and we assure your Excellency that
if we find the same Right and Clear, we shall make no Objection
thereto, and we doubt not but your Excellency will rather Approve
than Condemn our Conduct if we fairly and Openly Object against
any Erronious Publick Accounts, it being our Undoubted Right and
Duty so to do.
We hope that this Government hath no Enimies nor will make
any, and Malicious Private Whispers and Groundless Insinuations
are weak Attempts which ought to be Dispised
We assure your Exc^y that this House will always to the best of
their knowledge Act openly freely and Candidly, and which conduct
most agreeable to native British Sincerity, the Inseperable Charac-
teristick of every true Britton we Humbly hope will give no Offence.
The House Adjourned untill two of the Clock in the Afternoon.

L. H. J.
Lib. No. 45

Post Merediem. The House met according to Adjournment.
M^r Henry is added to the Committee of Laws
Ordered that M^r Dulany Doctor Carroll M^r Hammond M^r Calder
M^r Denton M^r George and M^r Stoughton prepare an Officers fee
Bill. And that it be an Instruction to those Gentlemen in Regulating
the ffees, regard be had to the ffees Setled in the Neighbouring Prov-
inces of Virginia and Pensilvania.
The Question was put whether in the Bill to be brought in, the
fees shall be rated in money or Tobacco, that the fees be rated in
Tobacco.

p. 793