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up this Session for that Purpose, the Chancellor would, by that
Means, lose a triflng Fee: The Sale of Offices, now open and avowed,
obliges the Purchaser, by every Way and Means in his Power, to
enhance his Fees; this is contrary to Law, and leads directly to Op-
pression. The Claim of an annual Salary for the Clerk of your
Council, has long been, and still is held up by the Upper House
against the Claims of all the public Creditors of the Province, which
are not to be paid unless that be allowed, though the disposal of the
People's Money doth of Right belong solely to this House. The Upper
House have denied us the Means of Prosecuting an Appeal to the
King and Council, entered into by both Houses, and confirmed by a
Law for putting an End to that Dispute; for which Reason, and
because we always were, and still are of Opinion, that Claim ought
to be paid out of the Monies arising from Fines and Forfeitures, and
other Monies, applied by our Laws, for Support of Government, and
unaccounted for, we are apprehensive Harmony cannot subsist be-
tween the Two Houses whilst that Claim is insisted on.
Encouraged by the benevolent Disposition displayed in your Lord-
ships Message, we have brought these Causes of Disquietude and
Non-improvement to your View, in Hopes that your attentive Con-
sideration of them will suggest the Means by which the Removal of
them may be effected, and all our Disputes terminated.
It is in your Lordships Power, and we hope in your Inclination,
to redress our Aggrievances; and we beg Leave to assure your Lord-
ship, that it is not from a Spirit of Disaffection to your Government,
that we have thus freely laid before you our Complaints, but from a
sincere Desire to put an End, by an amicable Settlement of those
Differences which have already too long subsisted, being fully per-
suaded that nothing can so much contribute to your Lordships true
Interest, and to the Peace and Welfare of your Province.
Which Address was read the First Time, and ordered to lie on the
Table.
Ordered, That the same be read a Second Time, and it was read
accordingly; and the Question was put, that the following Paragraph
be struck out of the said Address, viz "How justly his Predecessor,
M.r Sharpe, may have entitled himself to your Lordships grateful
Acknowledgments for his many Years faithful Service to you, is
with your Lordship; though a Retrospection upon the Proceedings
of this House will not permit us to say that M.r Sharpe always paid
a due Regard to the Interest of the Province; yet we must acknowl-
edge it is our Opinion that his own Inclination led him very much
towards that desirable Object."
Resolved in the Negative.
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 54
Dec. 20
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