The Lower House. 329

Assembly for the said County, met with from your Excellency on
the 29 Day of March last, and now signified to this House, to wit,
That on the aforesaid Day immediately after the Proroguing of the
House, near the Door, on the Parade Your Excellency did with
great warmth, Passion, scornful Looks and Gestures, insult and
abuse him the said Walter Smith by opprobious names and Lan-
guage, for matters of Speech on Delibrations had in the House of
Delegates, in virtue of his Duty as a member thereof as that he
asserted Falsities in the House, and opposed all measures for his
Lordship's Service there, and that he was a sorry Fellow
We take leave to assure your Excellency, that we conceive that
Gentleman to be a person of strict Honour and veracity, nor can
we look on the Indignity offered him at that Time and Place in any
other Light than equally to this House as to him & done to terrify
and deter the members of this House from a just Execution of their
Duty And this Treatment of M^r Smith we look uppon as highly vio-
lating the fundamental Rights and Privileges of the House of Dele-
gates which we deem it our Duty to preserve, and therefore declare,
That the Liberty of Speech on every Debate and Matter in Assembly
ought to be free, and that no member ought to be questioned or in-
peached for any such Freedom of Speech, in Right of his Duty, in
the House of Delegates, by Any Person whatsoever, or in Any
manner or Place but by the House.
This being the Law of the Land, and our undoubted Birthright
as British subjects and Englishmen, we humbly hope your Excel-
lency, neither by your Self, or the advice of any evil Council, will
endeavour, or attempt to undermine or infringe.
M^r Stoughton and M^r Mackall ordered to Acquaint his Excellency,
that this House hath prepared a Remonstrance which they begg leave
to present to him, and desire to know when and where he will be
Pleased to receive it They return and Acquaint M^r Speaker his
Excellency will be ready, in half an Hour, to receive it the Confer-
ence Chamber

M^r Speaker left the Chair, and Attended by the rest of the mem-
bers went to the Conference Chamber, where he Presented the
Remonstrance to his Excellency
They return again to their House, and M^r Speaker resumes the
Chair.
An ingrossed Bill entituled, An Act for issuing and taking out
of the office of the Commissioners or Trustees Appointed for emit-
ting Bills of Credit established by Act of Assembly the Sum of four
thousand five hundred Pounds Currant Money, for Encouragement
of such able bodied Freemen as shall voluntarily enlist themselves
into his Majesty's Service for the intended Expedition against
Canada, and for maintaining and conveying them to the Place of

L.H.J.
Liber No. 46