188 Assembly Proceedings, May 24-June 24, 1749.

U. H. J.
Liber No. 34
May 24

Power of making all officers within this Province is delegated by
the Royal Charter to his Lordship, and consequently that the Power
of Appointing a Clerk to the Lower house of Assembly, must be
allowed to be vested in the Lord Proprietor unless the Representa-
tives of this Province should be supposed to have a greater Authority
in this Matter than the Representatives of Great Britain
And if you peruse the Extracts of the Journals of the Two houses
which I shall Lay before you, it will be found, that this Right has
not only been exercised by the Government here, but acquiesed in
by former Assemblies and the Permission given to the Lower house
to Choose their Clerk, under the express Condition of Presenting
him to the Governor for Approbation, has more than once been
Considered and acknowledged to be an Act of Condescension in the
Government
This being a true State of the Case, as It appears to me, It is far
from my Disposition to Enter into any dispute about your Privileges
or to abridge you of any Indulgence that Custom in the Least degree
entitles you, to, or indeed to Refuse you any thing that can be reason-
ably desired, I therefor flatter myself, that you will not on your Part
insist upon a Point, that every reasonable Man must be satisfyed
my Duty will not permit me to agree to, but Present your Clerk in
the usual manner for Approbation, that We may Proceed upon the
Publick Business with that Unanimity and dispatch that is realy
necessary for the true Interest of the Province
Extracts from the Journals of the Upper house of Assembly.
1^st February 1637 The Governor and Freeman Assembled ex-
cept M^r Bretton the Clerk of the Assembly whereupon the Governor
appointed Lieu^t William Lewis to supply his place
21^st February 1637 The Governor and Captain Giles Brent one
of his Lordships Council and Freeman Assembled except M^r Bretton
Clerk of the Assembly, and the Governor appointed John Lewgar
jun^r to supply his Place
In April Assembly 1662 After sometime Came the Lower house
and Presented M^r Preston as their Speaker and M^r William Bretton
their Clerk

p. 283

In March Assembly 1671 On which day Robert Ridgeley was
then also sworn Clerk of the Lower House of Assembly
The same day the Upper house of Assembly were pleased upon
the humble desire and Earnest Request of the Lower house to Admit
Robert Carvile their Clerk and he was accordingly sworn
In October Assembly 1671 Robert Ridgeley was this day Ad-
mitted Clerk of the Lower house of Assembly sworn at the Opening
of this Assembly.
In February Assembly 1674 Robert Ridgeley is continued Clerk
to the Lower house