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Nov. 26
L. H. J.
Liber No. 52
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Order the necessary and effectual measures to be taken, and from
your Excellencys answer thereto this day received observe that the
precaution you have already taken in that respect & your Excellencys
resolution that Compulsory Methods shall be used with Such as have
not paid due regard to the Intimation you have directed to be given
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p. 233
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them for which we return you our thanks, We find likewise that so
far from any provisionary aid being necessary to the fifteen pence p
Hogshead under our old paper money Law that there is the Strongest
probability of a great Saving to the Country on that Act and by our
Treasurers accounts there appear upwards of four thousand Pounds
of Public Money in their Hands. In Circumstances so favourable, we
have Considered the Claims recommended by your Excellency at the
Opening of this Session, and those which arose for quartering Sol-
diers, and Carriage and provisions, in the late War, and with much
Labour and Strict Justice liquidated those Accounts, & that those
Creditors might have a Speedy payment out of the Public money now
locked up in the Treasury, which is much wanted in Circulation, we
prepared and Sent to the Upper House, a Bill enabling the Com-
missioners to pay them immediately out of the Gold and Silver in
their Hands. The Gentlemen of the Upper house agreed to the liqui-
dation of those Claims, but returned our Bill with a Negative We
likewise prepared and Sent to the Upper House, a Journal of Ac-
counts with an allowance of all just Claims what every Other person
appeared to us have against the Public, and were in hopes that by its
Passage, and the payment of the whole debt as soon as cou'd well be.
Public Credit might be again received but that too their Honours
refused. On your Excellencys recommendation in your message of
the 19.th Instant and a petition of many of our Frontier Inhabitants
which then lay before us, Sensibly touched with the Miseries to
which those people lie exposed, from the Cruelty of Small Parties of
Indians besides the fifty Pounds Bounty allowed by An Act passed
this Session for Indian Prisoners and Scalps, which we hope, will in
some measure Secure them; we framed a Bill for raising & keeping
up a Company of fifty rangers. Exclusive of Officers till the first of
October next, But that Bill has been returned to us by the upper
House with a Negative, though the designed provision is allowed to
be adequate the Military part proposed again to be adopted and as
indeed the whole was unexceptionable there have been no reasons
given for that Negative.
Thus may it please your Excellency, have we attempted imme-
diately to pay off the Creditors you particularly recommended, in
Consideration, no doubt, of the peculiar hardship of their Cases to
pay of the whole provincial Debt as Soon as it could be done with
tolerable Ease, & thereby restore Public Credit and to provide for
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