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ordinate executive Power of Government, from the Highest to the
Lowest.
We have always been well satisfied, May it please your Excellency,
that it is very far from your Intent and Design to call in Question
the Rights and Privileges of this House, and that you will regard it
as your Duty, and will endeavour to preserve the Rights and Privi-
leges of the People (which your Excellency very justly observes)
are secured by, and dependant upon, the due Execution of the Laws,
and not suffer them to be called upon or prosecuted out of the ordi-
nary Course of Procedure. But, May it please your Excellency, as
possibly the Rights and Privileges of this House may have been
called in Question, and the Rights, Liberties, and Privileges of the
People may possibly have been infringed without the least Shadow
of an Intent or Design to do either, we must humbly beg Leave here,
with Freedom and Candour, to lay open our Sentiments to your
Excellency on this Occasion.
We are very clearly convinced of your Excellency's Desire and
Endeavours to promote the Welfare and Happiness of the good
People committed to your Care, as far as you can, consistent with
the Powers given you; and it creates in us the deepest Concern, that
notwithstanding your Excellency's Wishes and Intentions, so laud-
able, Acts should be done, which must, at least in their Consequences,
have very contrary Effects; and we are at a Loss to what Cause to
impute it, unless to the ill Advice and Council of some Persons, who
have the Honour to be nearest your Excellency, together with the
Misinformations and Misconstructions of the Conduct of this House,
imposed upon your Excellency by others, whose too close attach-
ment to their private Interests, creates in them too slight a Regard for
the public Welfare.
And, May it please your Excellency, it may be proper to remark,
that Mr. Rawlings was not called to appear before this House in his
private Character, that is, merely as one of the good People of this
Province, who we hope never will be prosecuted out of the ordinary
Course of Procedure; but in his public Character, as a Person in-
trusted with a Share of the Power of executing the Laws in Being,
for their good Order and Government; he was not called upon in
Consequence of the Complaint of any private Person, in order to
give such Person Damages for any Wrong Mr. Rawlings might
have done him in his private Capacity, but upon the Representation
of one of the Members of this House, in order that his Conduct, in
his public Character, might undergo a parliamentary Enquiry; and
either his Innocence be made manifest, or all bad Effects, which might
flow from his Abuse of Power in his public Station, for the future,
prevented, by his Misconduct being laid before your Excellency :
And that Mr. Rawlings, in such his public Character, flood before
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 48
May 6
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