The Upper House. 5

good of this Province and to compleat what was so well begun
in the last Assembly but interrupted by the Death of our late
Queen of pious memory
I am perswaded I cannot open this Session with any thing
more grateful (to a people who have already distinguished
their Joy) than by congratulating you on the auspicious occas-
ion of his Majesty King George his being so peaceably &
securely Seated on the Throne of his Ancestors.

The Lenity with which he has long governed his Subjects
in Germany, The Deference which is paid his consummate
Judgement by all the Princes in Europe are strong Indications
how happy a People we may be under the Influence of one of
the Greatest as well as one of the best of Kings that ever
Swayed the Brittish Scepter
Our Religion is secured in his Royal Person not by the
Effect of a refined Policy but an exemplary practice of the
Truth and purity of his Principle

Who can doubt but our Laws will be maintained & our
Libertys preserved when they are protected by a Just &
mighty Prince that has been so Zealous an Assertor of the
Libertys of Europe against all bold Invaders

The noble Disposition of his royal Highness the Prince of
Wales, the Generous Courage he so early exerted in the

U. H. J.

Field and the numerous Offspring which Providence has
given him affords a pleasing view of a continued Series of
Happiness to us. What can we desire now but that the good
God will preserve such invaluable Blessings to us and make
us dutifully Sensible of them

Gentlemen of the House of Delegates I am to acquaint
you I laid before the last Assembly an Instruction from her
late Majesty to revise the Laws of this Province and have
since received his Majesty's Commands to be observant of
those Instructions

The necessity of this so useful a work is obvious from most
of your Laws being very defective so that I need not enforce
any further what is so much to your Advantage, but must
recommend to you to pursue it with application, for my obser-
vation of your past Journalls makes it Evident to me, and
your own Experience will inform you that long & frequent
Assemblys are grievous Burthens to the people

At my first Arrival into this Province I laid before your
House a Law lately passed in Virginia for the improvement
of the Tob^o Trade in which there are many useful Things to
advance that Staple in this Country but having since received
an Act of Parliam^t from Great Brittain justly Entituled an Act

p. 5