The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

414 COMMONS JOURNAL, JULY 2, 1759–JULY 14, 1759A Petition of William Peaseley, Clerk, was presented to the House, andread; setting forth,That the Petitioner has for some time past officiated at Pedea as Ministerof St. Marks Parish, where he has undergone a very hard Duty, beingobliged to ride two Sundays in three, between Thirty or Forty Miles.That his doing any part of Duty at Santee (another part of the said Parish)was utterly impracticable on Account of the Distance which is computedto be Ninety Miles. The Inhabitants of Pedea formed a Vestry, and accordinglythey gave the Petitioner an Order on the Public Treasurer for SixMonth’s Service; Which the said Treasurer refuses to pay on pretence thatthere is another more legal Vestry at Santee. And therefore humbly prayingthe House will take the premises into Consideration and grant such Reliefas they in their great Wisdom shall think most meet.Ordered That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.A Petition of Samuel Lavington, was presented to the House, and read;setting forth,That the Petitioner, about two Months ago, imported into this Provincefrom the Island of Antigua, Twenty six Negroe Slaves which were given andbequeathed to him by the last Will and Testament of Mr. Stephen Lavington,Brother to the Petitioner, who is since dead. That since the Petitioner’s Arrivalhere with said Negroes, he has, by Jacob Motte Esqr., Public Treasurer,been required to pay a Duty of Ten pounds Currency per Head for each Slaveimported, agreable to the General Duty Act, passed the 14th Day of June inthe Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty one.And begging leave to observe that he conceives the Legislature on passingthe above Act never intended it should extend to subject Negroes left as a Legacyto the payment of the aforesaid Duty, but only such as should be brought herefor Sale. And as the Slaves brought into this Province by the Petitioner (Five ofwhich since his Arrival are dead) are to be employed and kept to work on thePetitioner’s Plantation in this Province and not be disposed of.And humbly praying the House will take the Premises into their Consideration,and give Directions that the above Duty be remitted, for the reasonsabovementioned.Ordered That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.The House being informed that the Public Treasurer attended at theDoor, he was called in, and, at the Bar presented to the House pursuant totheir Address of Yesterday to his Excellency the Governor,An Account of Cash paid for the South-Carolina Regiment,An Account of the State of the several Funds under the Direction of theCommissioners for building and repairing the Fortifications in this Provincefrom the 29th September 1756 to the 1st July 1759.