A. D. 1732. 1S7 



only obliged to deliver a tranfcript of their laws to the privy council 

 wkhin Jive jears after they are pafled ; and if his majefly does not think 

 fit to repeal them mjix vionths from the time fuch tranfcript is fo de- 

 livered, it is not in the power of the crown to repeal them afterwards. 

 ' In the Maflachufets-bay alfo, if their laws are not repealed within 

 three years after they have been prefented to his majefly, for his ap- 

 probation or difallowance, they are not repealable by the crown after 

 that time. 



* The provinces of Maryland, Connedicut, and Rhode-ifland, not 

 being under any obligation by their refpedive conftitutions, to return 

 authentic copies of their laws to the crown for approbation or difal- 

 lowance, or to give any account of their proceedings, we are very little 

 informed what is doing in any of thefe governments. 



' All the governors of the colonies, who ad under the king's appoint- 

 ment, ought, within a reafonable time, to tranfmit home authentic 

 copies of the feveral adls by them pafled, to go through a proper ex- 

 amination. 



* The following complaints have, however, been lately made to this 

 board againft fome plantation-laws, viz. 



* In MalTachufets-bay an ad was made to encourage the manufidure 

 of paper, which law interferes with the profit made by the Britifh 

 merchant on foreign paper fent thither, being almofi: the only fort of 

 paper fent thither. 



' In New- York there is a duty of L2, (or five ounces of filver) laid 

 on all negroes imported from Africa, and of L4 on all negroes import- 

 ed from any other place. 



* In New-England, New- York, Connedicut, Rhode-ifland, Pennfyl- 

 vania, and in the county of Somerfet, in Maryland, they have fallen 

 into the manufadure of woollen cloth and linen cloth, for the ufe of 

 their own families only. 



' For the produd of thofe colonies being chiefly cattle and grain, the 

 efiates of the inhubilants depended wholely on farming, which could 

 hot be managed without a certain quantity of iheep ; and their wool 

 would be entirely loft, were not their fervants employed during win- 

 ter in manufadurinu: it for the ufe of their families. 



' Flax and hemp being likewife eafily rnifed, the inhabitants manu- 

 fidured thcni into a coarfe fort of cloth, bags, traces, and halters, for 

 their horfes, which they found did more fervice than thofe they had 

 from any part of Europe. However, the high price of labour in ge- 

 neral in America rendered it impradicable for people there to ma- 

 nufadure tlieir linen cloth at lels than 20 per cent more than the rate 

 in England, or woollen cloth at lefs than 50 per cent dearer than that 

 which is exported from hence for file. It were to be wiflied, that 

 fome expedient might be fallen upon to divert their thoughts from 

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