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L. H. J.
Liber No. 49
Dec. 1
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are Matters of such an interesting Nature, that we should have given
them the first Place in our Deliberations, tho' they had not been
recommended to us by your Excellency; and from the Appearance of
Harmony between the Chief Magistrate and Representatives of the
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p. 108
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People, which seemed to shew itself at the Opening of this Session,
we were willing to entertain Hopes of seeing our Endeavours, for
the Benefit of the Province, and Security and Welfare of the People,
rendered effectual; and that the Chief Magistrate was determined
not to be guided by Councils tending to oppress or injure his Maj-
esty's Subjects of this Province, much less to an Infringement of,
or Violation to, any of the Just Rights and Privileges of that Branch
of the Legislature, which, by our Constitution, is more particularly
designed to guard against Oppression; and consequently, that we
should not have had Reason to have feared any Attempt would be
made against the Rights and Privileges and Authority of this House ;
on the free Enjoyment and Exercise of which, the Liberties of the
good People of this Province so greatly depend.
We shall not exclaim against Fate, for interrupting our strict and
speedy Pursuit of those Objects, the Security and Quiet of the People
so full in View, but leave the World to judge, whether they were laid
aside and disregarded by us, in order to make an Attempt upon the
Rights and Privileges incident to your Excellency's Station, or
whether, for Reasons which may possibly occur to the impartial
Reader, you did not think it expedient to divert us from the necessary
Enquiry into the Conduct of our own Officer, by making a direct
Attack on the Privileges and Authority of this House, from the
following Narrative of the whole Affair relative to Mr. John Ridout.
An Account of the Disbursements of a considerable Part of the
£6000 granted in July 1754, by an Act for his Majesty's Service,
which was laid before the late Lower House of Assembly by your
Excellency, had been for some Time under the Examination of a
Committee of that House, and there appearing in that Account many
very extravagant and unreasonable Charges, and some for which
Vouchers were wanting, it was by that Committee brought again
into the House, and was by the House referred for further Ex-
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p. 109
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amination to the next Session, and accordingly delivered to the Cus-
tody of the Clerk. That Account being missing, and a new one of
a very different Nature, put in it's Place, we judged it expedient, that
upon the Appointment of the same Person as our Clerk (who at
first View must be supposed to be privy to that Exchange of Papers)
he should be at least Reprimanded for such a Breach of Trust, and
told, that any future Misconduct must occasion his Removal from
it: Upon our Enquiry into this Affair, a Letter from Mr. John
Ridout was produced, and Part of it read in the House, which is in
the following Words :
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