I am sorry that I can't consent to this Bill at present, as a proper Application had not been made to me for His Majesty's Consent before it was passed in the Assembly, and therefore I must advise upon it till next Session, since I am obliged to preserve his Majesty's just prerogative in fixing upon the places for Courts of Justice. The proper Method I take it to have proceeded in it had been for to have a Meeting of yr. Freeholders of the County, and had a Map of the County taken and laid before them, and then to have agreed upon the best and most convenient place for the Majority of the County, in Case it shou'd not be found proper at present to alter the Bounds of the present with the adjoining Counties; and then to have prepared a petition upon it to the Assembly, and upon their Approbation of it then to have addressed the Governor to approve of the Place, and to consent to a Bill for that purpose, which at present has not been done, but the power taken from the Crown and lodged in Gentlemen to fix it where they please, and upon that petition if any part of the County shou'd think themselves aggrieved, then they might be heard by Council against the Bill, when they wou'd know where they had determined to fix the County Court, by this Method his Majesty wou'd preserve his Right of Nomination, and the people wou'd by the Consent of the Assembly obtain their Request, and I then wou'd be justified in passing the Bill, and therefore must consider of it 'till next Session, by which Time the proper Stops may be taken, and the Freeholders of the County specify the place which wou'd best answer the Conveniency of the County, and therefore as no Inconveniency can happen by delaying it until next Session, by which time all the proper Steps may be taken, I think it my Duty to advise upon it until next Session.

Reasons given by the Governr. for not passing a Bill

Read April 8. 1755

C.60.