The Lower House. 207

missioners from one Neighbouring Province only, having attended
at the Place and Time appointed
I have the Honour of a Letter from his Excellency Lord Botetourt,
Governor of Virginia, written at the Request of the House of Bur-
gesses of that Dominion, which I shall also order to be laid before
you. His Lordship's earnest Sollicitude, and my Persuasion of the
Propriety and Utility of the Measure, call upon me to recommend
it to you in the strongest Manner to join the Colony of Virginia in
erecting and supporting a Light House on Cape Henry. Permit me
to desire also your peculiar Attention to the State of our Criminal
Law. What Defects you shall discover therein, it is in your Power
to remedy. I have already experienced the Want of Precision on this
Head, to be productive of very great Inconvenience.
Gentlemen of both Houses,
Be assured that the Sanction of my Authority shall be given with
the utmost Alacrity and Satisfaction to all such Regulations as your
Experience has found to be most conducive to the Prosperity of the
Province and your Prudence and Regard for the Public Good shall
adopt and propose.
M.^r Speaker (with the rest of the Members) returned to the
Lower House, and resumed the Chair.
Ordered, That the Governor's Speech be read, and it was read
accordingly.

M.^r John Paca, M.^r Aquila Hall, and M.^r John Matthews, Mem-
bers returned for Baltimore County; M.^r Robert Henly Courts, a
Member returned for Charles County; and M.^r Joseph Gilpin, a
Member returned for Caecil County, appeared in the House.
Ordered, That M.^r Ward and M.^r Ware do go with those Gentle-
ment to the Upper House to see them qualified. They return and
acquaint M.^r Speaker they saw them qualified in the usual Manner.
The Gentlemen took their Seats in the House —
Ordered That M.^r Wright and M.^r Griffith do wait on his Ex-
cellency and inform him that this House hath made Choice of M.^r
John Duckett to be their Clerk in the Room of M.^r Turbutt Wright
who has resigned and to desire his Approbation — They return and
acquaint M.^r Speaker his Excellency approved the Choice

L. H. J.
Liber No. 54
Sept. 25

Ordered, That M.^r Worthington and M.^r Luckett do go with M.^r
Duckett to the Upper House to see him qualified as Clerk of this
House. They return and acquaint M.^r Speaker they saw M.^r Duckett
qualified by taking the several Oaths to the Government required by
Law, subscribing the Oath of Abjuration repeating and signing the
Test and by taking the following Oath Viz.^t "You John Duckett
do swear, that as Clerk of the Lower House of Assembly, you shall
true Entries make of all such Matters and Things as by the Honour-
able Speaker for the Time being and that House shall be to you

p. 67