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for the Term of Five Years: Nor do we see the dangerous Tendency
of such a Tax, as there was not any Power given to the Collectors of
it to enter the House of private Consumers on any Pretence: But
it depended upon their Integrity to account for the Tax without
Molestation, or pay a Sum certain, half yearly, in Lieu thereof; one
or the other of which, we presume, every Well-Wisher to his Country
would chearfully do.
We do not find any Law in Force against bringing into this
Province, from Pennsylvania, or the Territories thereto belonging,
or from any other Province or Colony on this Continent, any Horses,
Mares, Colts, or Fillies, as you are pleased to say there is. We did
not suppose this Lordship would be unwilling that any of his Officers
should do any reasonable Act (and for which they had, by the Bill,
a sufficient Reward given them) towards carrying into Execution
any Law calculated for his Majesty's Service in general, and our own
Security in particular.
A Clause was inserted in our third Bill, as it was in our second,
for exempting Persons voluntarily enlisting, and bearing Arms for
six Months, from Payment of all Manner of Taxes, from Labouring
on Highways, and Payment of Ferriages, for the Space of two Years'
from the Date of their Discharge.
The Commissioners of the Paper-Currency-Office were by our
third, as they were by the second Bill, to have settled and adjusted the
Accounts of the Land-Tax-Collectors, in Case of a Disagreement
between the Rent-Roll-Keepers and the said Collectors about the
Settlement thereof.
We did presume that the exact Quantity of Acres, contained in
his Lordship's Manors and Reserved Lands, was well known, and
that his Lordship's Agent might, without Difficulty, give an Account
thereof; but as you say it is impossible for him to do it, we did in our
second Bill, and also in our third, only oblige him to give an Account
of the computed Quantities of such Manors and Reserved Lands.
The Duty on Convicts was in our third Bill, and also in our
second, excepted out of the Clause tor Continuance of the several
other duties, as you propose; tho' we do not conceive the same con-
trary or repugnant to the Laws of England.
We directed by our third Bill, and the same was done by the second,
a further Tax to be laid on Lands, to make up any Deficiency that
might possibly (tho' contrary to our Expectations) happen, on the
Funds appropriated to the replacing and bringing in the Sums of
Money, granted by that Bill, in Five Years, tho' we are not acquainted
with any such Instruction from his Majesty, as you say this must
be done in Obedience to. If your Honours should still think, that
your Objections are not obviated, or by the Amendments made, not
sufficiently removed, we are sincerely willing, at this critical Junc-
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L.H.J.
Liber No. 48
April 30
p. 257
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