A'ledgfr, in which an account, debtor
and creditor, is opened, with every parti
cular officer, whofe duty it is to colleft any
part of the public revenue, and to pay it
ih to the treafuty, by which eVery (hcriff
or collector of the leveral poll-taxes, or
wheel-tax, is charged debtor, for the
grofs amount of thefc branches of the re
venue within his county, as afeertained by
the fcvcral lifts of taxables of the refpeaive
counties. Every collcftor or receiver Of
the duties on Ipirituous liquors, &c. is
charged debtor tor the grots amount ot
that branch of the revenue within his dif-
tha, afeertained by the cuftoi'n-houfe
books^ a copy of which (liould be quar
terly, or halt-yearly, tranimitted, atteft-
ed by the laid colleaor or receiver, to the
trealuier of his diftria : And all the clerks
charged with the grofs amount of the du
ty on law-fuits, alcertained by their Iwora
lifts: And all thclc officers to have credit
in their faid accounts, tor the inlblvcnts
allowed by the leveral co\iiuy courts, and
fOr all the monicJ paid by tlr-m into the
treafury', asalfo, cictlit tor tl'icir corVimil-
Hons, as provided by aa ot aftembiy.
This ledger grows out ot, and is cktraa-
ed from the diary or diy-book.
Another ledger, or general book of^
public accounts, wherein an account ot
debtor and creditor is opened between the
treafurer on one fide, and every particular
tiind appropriated by the iegiflature, on
the other fide ; and the trcalurer thail
therein charge himlclf debtor to each par
ticular fund, feparaiely, for the grofs a-
lYtount of that fund, as afeertained by the
lifts of taxables of the fevrral counties,
the cuftonrt-hoUfe or receiver s books, and
the (worn lifts of the fcvcral clerks atorc-
mentioned, and Creditor, for the deficien
cies of each fund by iniolvencies, by the
money in the hands of the collectors, fhe-
rifFs, &c. by the feveral payments iffiicd
out ot the treafuty, and by the commil-
fions provided by ad ot afiembly.
This laft, though nereflary book, is no
more than a general abtlr ad ot the whole,
by which each treafurer makes himlelt on
one fide debtor for the grots amount of
the revenue within his diftrid, aiding
from ear h particular tax, in as many arti
cles as there are particuKir taxes, as if
there wereno infolvcncies ur deficiencies j
and makes himlelf creditor on the other
fide for the grots amount of infolvcncies
Of deficiencies of;each particular tax, allo
for the monies in the hands of the Iheriffs
and other collcftors, for the payments he
has made, and tor his commiftioni, and
the ballances in the treafurers hands, of
each tax, rclpedively *, which, when add
ed up, and brought to a fum total, will be
found to be the money in the trcalury.
To this laft account may be lubjoihed, a
lift of the fuits brought in law or equity,
for recovery of public debts, as direded
by ad of aftembly.
That there be a ftanding committee of
live or feven (three of whom at leaft to be
a ciuorum) to be appointed by the houfe
of aflembly, who fhall be empowered and
required to meet, at leaft twice a year, at
a certain time and place, during the pro
rogation of aflembly. That the treafurers
IhaJI be obliged to lay before t^c comnjit-
tee, evci/ forftfnefitiontfd book of ac
counts of the public money, and all the
documents and voucher?, and to give the
treafurers a certificate thereof, and make
atrue and faithlul report of tire lame to
the houfe of affembly at the enfuing fef-
That bpforc this report fhdl be taken
under con'fiderarion, all thelc boosts of ac
counts, with the documents and vouchers
thereof, together with the report of the
committee, fh ill, by public order of the
houfe, be direded to he bn the table for a
certain number of days, under the care of
the clerk of tlie houle ot aftciiibly, that
every member of the hou.e iViay have ac-
cefs if they plealc, to Ice an I examine
thclc accoilnts, vouchers, and report ;
and whcnjthe houte is latishct! with ihc
lamci thelc accounts, vouchers, and re
port, to be. referred to a committee of
both houfes tor a rc-examination, it they
think fit, i)f lueh public arcoiiiits as luivr,
at their foM, the tertifieate of the ftaiul-
ingcommiircc ; and alUr, to examine and
ftatc all fuch puldic accounts as may have
been tranladcd by the trealuirrs between
the laft fcttlemcnt of the faid ftanding
committee, and the fitting of the commit
tee of both houfes t and when the latter
have made their rephrt thereof to the
houfe of aflembly before the finally pal
fing of thefe public accounts by the three
bodies of the Icgiflaturc, the treafurers
lhall de direded to attend the governor,
as firft magiftrate, and make oath before
him, that the faid public accounts, and
all the articles contained therein, are juft
and true, and obtain from him, to pro
duce to the houfe of aflembly^ a certifi
cate of their having done lb.
As the foregoing methoil of keeping
the public accounts regard more tlic fu
ture ch.\n the pall, it might, perhaps, be
expedient to take out of the prrienr tiea-
(urers haivli, the colle*.Hion8.*f all monies
due to the public IkI'oit their reipcdive
appoiiitme.its to their office, ('alter oblig
ing them to account for ihe'liims already
by them received) and to np[)oint fonie
proper perlon or pcrlons, ttuly authonzed.
by the legiflamre, to Irttlc aiiil rt ljuft
thole arrearages, and to receive .in-i ac
count for the lame to the j'enciai allem-
bly. This would make it ealy for the
treafurers to tligell rhrii .-iccounts into a
regular .and pl.dn methoti, and prevent
the confufion that muft .itteiui theiV being
embarrafled with thole old demands,
great part of which muft ncceflarily be
a lofs to the public.
After the late Houfe of Jfjemifly had
made the rejolves itiferled in fJumler 6 of
this pr^er, they refolved., that the foliou'ing
Addrefs (heuld he tranfmitted to their Agent
in England, to be laid before his Majefij.
To the KIN G’s moft excellent M A-
J E S T Y.
The humble Addrefs of his dutiful and loyal
fuhjeas, the Houfe of Affembly of his Ma-
jefty's telony of North-Ckrorma, met in
General Affembly.
May it pleafeyour Majefty^
W E your Majefty’s moft loyal, du
tiful, and aflcdlionate fubje^s,
the houfe of Affembly ot thl, your M.^
ieftv-. colony of Ntrlb-C^rclma, now met
in General Aflembly, beg leave,
rfioft humble lYiahrter, to affurc your Ma-
jefty, that-your faithful jubjefts of th s
colony, ever dirtinguifhed by
tv and firm attachment to your Majefty
and your royal anceftors, arc far from
countenancing traitors, treafon, or milpn-
fon of trcalon, and ready at any time to
lacTificc our.lives and fortunes in defence
of yuur.Mijcfty’s facred perfon a.od go
vernment.
It is with 'the deepeft concern, and moft
heartfelt grief that your Majefty s moft
dutiful fubjedls of tliis colony liiul, that
their loyalty has been traduced, and that
tluile meafurcs, which a juft reg irtl for^thc
Britilh conilitution, (dearer to them tnan
lilc) made iieccllary duties, have been
mifreprelented as rebellious attacks upon
your iVlajell>’s government.
When we confi ler that by the eftablilh-
ed laws .an 1 cniillitution of tin* colony,
the moll ample provifion is niade for ap
prehending and pvimlhing all thole who
ftiill dare to engage in any ti\.ifonable
praclicci againft your Majefty. or difturb
the tranquillity of government j wc can
not, With 'Ut horror, think of the new,,
unurual, and permit us, w'th all humility,,
to add, unconftitutional anti illegal mofle,.
recommended to your Majefty, of Iriz-
ing and carrying beyoad lea, the inhabir
tants of America, rufpefted of any crime,
and of trying luth peflons, in any otfier
manner than by the ancieWt and long efta-?
bhihed courle of proceeding •, for, how
truly deplorable muft be tne cafe of a
wretched American, who, having incurr
ed the diipicalure of any one in power, is
ilragged from Ills native liomc,- and' his
dcarell domeftic conneClions, thrown in
to a prilon, not to .await his trial before a
court, jury or judges, from a knowledge
of whom he is encouraged to hope for
IpCedy juftice, but to exchange his im-
j.'rilonmcnt in his o.vii country for fetters
am »,ig llrangers •, conveyed to a diftant.'
land, where no friend, no relation, will
allcviite his iliftreirrs, or ininrfter to his
niTcIlities, and wlier,? no wiinels caq be
fniiiul to tellify his icinocence, Ihunned by-
the reputable and honeft, and configncd
to the lociety and convcrle of the wretch
ed and abandoned, he can^omly pray t|^
lie may Toon end his milcry with hi's life]|9
Truly alarmed at the fatal tendency of
thelc pernicious councils, and with hearts
filled with anguilh, by fuch dangerous
inv.ari)ns of our deareft privileges, wo
prelume to proftratc ourlelves at the fooc
of your Royail throne, belecching your
Majefty, as our king and father, to avert
from your faithful and loyal fubjedb in
America, tli Te mileries wliich muft ne-
ceflarily be the tonfcquence ot fuch me»*
furcs.
After expreffing our firm confidence
in your royal wildom and goodncls, per
mit us to aflure your Majefty, that the
molt fervent prayers of your people of
this colony, are daily addrrflcd to the AK
mighty, that your Majefty’s reign may be
long and prolperous over Great-britain,
and all your dominions : and that; aftei;