The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

MARCH 2, 1758109John Murray, Acting Secretary of this Province, was referred, that the Committeehad Examined the matter of the said memorial & had directed himto report the same as it appeared to them to the House.And he read the Report in his Place & afterwards deliver’d it in at theClerks Table, Where the same was read and is as follows, viz.That the two South Eastern Ground Rooms in the State House of theProvince where the Office of the Secretary of the Said Province is now Kept& into which the Books and other Records appertaining to that Office areremoved appeared to your Committee upon View to be very commodious,Safe and Sufficient Rooms for that Purpose.That the Memorialist Shewed the Committee three wooden Presses, twowooden Desks & three Chairs which he informed them he received with theBooks & papers of the Office & Looks on them as belonging to the Public.That the Committee observed divers Papers & Instruments of Writingsdeposited on the Window Seats and put there (as the Committee Supposed)for want of a more fit Place.Your Committee therefore recommend that another Press may be allowedat the Charge of the Public of the Size & Fashion of the Press nowStanding in the Speakers Chamber (unless that can be Spared for the Use)to be placed in one of the Rooms of the said Secretarys Office for the betterPreservation of the present overplus, Papers & Books, all which the Committeeapprehend will not be Sufficient to fill it.Your Committee conceive that few Persons go to the Secretarys Officeto abide there a Considerable Time (The officer & Clerks Excepted) and thatit is unnecessary to put the public to further Expence for Chairs.The Committee have Considered that the Rent heretofore allowed bythe Public for the Secretarys Office will hence forward Cease, but whetherthe Cost & Charge Expended in Accomplishing the same can, with proprietybe deemed a saving, is by the Committee Humbly Submitted, &c.The said Report being read a Second time.Resolv’d that this House will provide for defraying the Expence of Puttingup a Cypress Press in the Secretary’s office for holding such Part of theRecords in the Said Office as the other Presses will not Contain. And thatthe Commissioners for building the State House do direct Such Press to beput up.Then the Representation of the Commissioners for building & keepingin repair a bridge over Edisto River &ct. was read, Setting forth as viz.That whereas the Inhabitants of the Forks of Edisto River are Liable tokeep in repair Two Roads through Edisto Swamp, and two Bridges across thesaid River, the one at Collo. Minnicks and the other at Orangeburgh, TheLatter of which can be prov’d Conduces most to the Public Interest, And the