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An Act for laying a further Duty on Negroes imported into this
Province, and for the Encouragement of County Schools: Which
was read the first and second Time, by an especial Order, and will
pass. Sent to the Upper House by M.r Mackall, and M.r Ware. They
return and acquaint M.r Speaker they delivered the Bill
M.r Steele appeared in the House
M.r Ringgold brings in, and delivers to M.r Speaker the following
ingrossed Address
To his Excellency Robert Eden, Esquire Governor and Commander
in Chief in and over the Province of Maryland
The humble Address of the House of Delegates
May it please your Excellency,
At the Opening of this Session, you were pleased to say, "that
you had only to request, that we would proceed to compleat the Busi-
ness recommended to us at the opening of the last Session of As-
sembly." We shall therefore take up that Business as nearly as can
be done, in the same State it was dropt by the late abrupt Prorogation.
We should be wanting in Duty to your Excellency, to the People and
to ourselves, were we to pass over in Silence a Measure, from which
so many ill Consequences flow. When we view, as its Effects, a con-
siderable Charge to the Province; a total Stagnation of Business for
several Days; Bills of Importance before both Houses unfinished,
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 54
Nov. 8
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that must be taken up anew; the Journal of Accounts laying before
the Upper House; the Petitions of many People defeated, or with
Expence and Difficulty renewed; an Enquiry into the Grievances of
others stopped, and the Parties laid under the Necessity either of at-
tending at a heavy Expence, or going away unheard; a publick Of-
fender released, and publick Justice evaded; we cannot but complain
of the prorogation as an undue and illadvised Exertion of Power:
That Power with which your Excellency, as supreme Magistrate, is
constitutionally invested for the Good of the People. Whatever might
have been your Excellency's Motive, we may be allowed to con-
jecture, that as the immediate Releasement of M.r William Steuart
was to be the certain Effect, his Commitment was the true Cause of
the Prorogation; and as we are unwilling that our Conduct should
at any Time appear to your Excellency in a disadvantageous Light,
and think it our Duty to represent to you the Misbehaviour of your
Officers, we take the Liberty of presenting you with a Copy of a
Report from the Committee of Grievances at the last Session rela-
tive to M.r William Steuart, and of the Resolves and Proceedings of
this House in Consequence of it: By which it will appear, that he,
as Clerk of the Land Office, by Instructions from his Principals, had
taken Notes of Hand for the Payment of Fees according to Procla-
mation or Regulation, which should happen, and had also tendered
and administred an Oath not appointed or required by Law. These
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p. 149 [150]
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