The Lower House. 253

sand pounds for his Majesty's Service, &c. Indorsed, "By the
Upper House of Assembly, April 5^th 1760. Read the first Time, and
Ordered to lie on the Table."
And thus, "By the Upper House of Assembly, April 7, 1760. Read
the second Time, and will not pass.
Signed p Order, J. Ross, Cl. Up. Ho."

And the following Message, viz.^t
By the Upper House of Assembly, April 7, 1760.
Gentlemen,
We are equally desirous with yourselves to afford all reasonable
Relief to the People of this Province in general, and the Land-
Holders in particular, upon whom a very heavy Tax, by the great
Deficiency of the Funds for sinking the 40,000 1. must in a short
Time be laid, unless by some Bill to be passed this Session, including
a larger Number of Contributors, that Inconvenience shall be ob-
viated; but at the same Time that we are strongly inclined to relieve
Individuals, we think it incumbent upon us to pay all the Regard
to Public Faith, and consequently to Public Credit, which these

L. H. J.
Liber No. 51
April 7

very important Points deserve, and our present Circumstances will
allow.
In these Respects, as well as in some other, the Bill herewith
returned with a Negative apears to us to be defective; but we are
not without Hope of receiving another upon a Plan more consistent,
and less liable to Objections, and have therefore taken the Liberty
of recommending to your Consideration a Tax long experienced in
this Province, and more equal, and less grievous to the People than
a Land-Tax, together with the Appropriation, and Continuance of
the Funds, mentioned in the Bill to have answered, or almost
answered, the Ends for which they were created; The annual
Produce whereof in future may be nearly estimated on a Review
of the annual Income they have hitherto produced; and as we are
informed that the Deficiency, which by the Law as it now stands, is
to be made good by a Land-Tax only, has been calculated at about
26,000 1. we conceive this Sum may be discharged by these Means
in Two Years from this Time, without any considerable Incon-
venience, or just Cause of Complaint. The Public Faith and Credit
must be preserved at all Events, and should you therefore not be
inclined to fall upon some Method, for the Ease of the Landed
Interest, less exceptionable than that proposed by the Bill we have
rejected, rather than expose these to any Hazard, we shall be obliged
to suffer the unequal Burthen on Land, imposed by the original Bill,
to take Place.
Signed p Order, J. Ross, Cl. Up. Ho.

The House adjourns till the Morrow Morning at nine of the Clock.

p. 205