|
I am commanded by her most Sacred Majesty in the first
Place to recommend to your Care the due Support and Observ-
ance of our Religion as by Law established: That all Drunk-
enness, Debauchery, Swearing and Blasphemy may be discoun-
tenanced and punished; and therefore if you have not Laws
already sufficient to suppress and prevent the like Immoralities
you may depend on my ready Concurrence with you in such
Measures as may be conducing thereto; nothing being more
acceptable or agreeable to her Majesty's pious Inclinations
than promoting the Honour and Service of Almighty God or
likelier to derive a Blessing on yourselves and Posterity. Her
Majesty has commanded me if it be not already done to recom-
mend to you the passing of an Act of Assembly for the
Restraining of any inhumane Severities which may be used
by ill Masters or Overseers towards their Christian Servants
and Slaves; and that Provision may be made therein that the
wilful Killing of Indians and Negroes may be punished with
Death and that a fit Penalty may be imposed for the maiming
of them. By this you will see how extensive her Majesty's
tender Care is not only to the meanest of her poor Subjects
but even to all others who are so happy as to come under any
Part of her Dominions, and how extreamly she resents any
such Barbarities.
Her Majesty requires me to recommend to you the raising
of Stocks and building of publick Workhouses in convenient
Places for the employing poor indigent People which I cannot
but believe is absolutely necessary not only to restrain idle
Vagabonds but prevent their being burthensome to their
several Parishes or Counties.
Gentlemen, I have in Charge from her Majesty to recom-
mend to you to raise such further Supplies from Time to Time
as may be sufficient for defraying the necessary Charges of
this her Government, The want whereof may upon the least
Emergencies be very prejudicial to the Public. You are very
particularly encouraged hereto by her Majesty's gracious Per-
mission and Direction that the Accounts thereof are always
to be laid before you. And to the End that the Arms already
in the Country or hereafter to be purchased for the Defence
|
