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what you have already urged, and perhaps those on which you prin-
cipally found your Objection to this Part of our Bill.
And, may it please your Honours, in return for your Opinion,
that the Bill is in many Parts improper, and that some Parts of it,
if passed into a Law, would be so far from promoting the End which
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L.H.J.
Liber No. 48
March 14
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you suppose is designed, that hardly any Thing could be imagined
more destructive thereto, we can only give you our Opinions, that it
is in every Part proper, and if passed into a Law, would be so far
from being destructive of the Ends we suppose designed by all of
us, that hardly any Thing could be imagined more conducive thereto.
Our own Interests will always direct us in some Measure, to
encourage the Settlement of the back and remote Parts of this Prov-
ince, and we are confident, his Majesty's constant Attention to his
most remote Interests, will induce him to encourage that of his
Land behind us, with good British Subjects, as a Means of prevent-
ing the further Encroachments of his Enemies on these his Ameri-
can Dominions, at the same Time that his Troops are employed
against them; and we cannot prevail on ourselves to believe, that
this Bill will have any Effect to the contrary, or seems in the least
calculated to impede such a Settlement. And we leave it to your
Honours Consideration, whether it can be reasonably expected that
the People of this Province should pay a Bounty towards the Settle-
ment of his Lordship's uncultivated Lands; and whether the Duty of
5s. per Poll, imposed by this Bill, on the Importers of Indented Ser-
vants, can have any Tendency towards deterring such Servants from
coming among us, as they are not in any Manner interested in the
Payment of the Duty.
We cannot but be surprized at your fear, that the Clause for im-
posing an additional Duty on Convicts, (to be applied for his Maj-
esty's Service), may be deemed to clash with his Majesty's
Authority, and that by consenting thereto, you may draw a Cen-
sure from the Throne, and run the Risque of incurring his Maj-
esty's Displeasure; as the Persons who contract for the Transporta-
tion of those Criminals will be amply rewarded, notwithstanding that
Duty, by the Allowance made by Act of Parliament, for Payment of
their Passages, and the high Prices they sell them to the Inhabitants
of this Province.
We could on our Parts if it were regular, or they were wanting,
suggest many Reasons in support of our Bill, but we are persuaded
we have already given such Answers to your Objections against it,
as cannot fail of convincing you of the Propriety thereof, in its pres-
ent Form. And we hope our fervent honest Zeal for his Majesty's
Service, and the Common Cause, which has repeatedly actuated us
to vote such generous Aids towards rendering effectual his Royal
Intentions, will be no longer suppressed by your Honours Noncon-
currence with the Bill, we so long since formed for that very desir-
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p. 61
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