Memorial for the Vestry of Saint Philip' s, Charles-Town

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A Memorial of the Vestry of Saint Philip' s, Charles-Town,

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"That many difficulties occurred which rendered it altogether impossible for memorialists to make a just and equitable assessment for a poor tax on the inhabitants of Charles-Town according to the directions of the act of Assembly, but more particularly the removal from town for several months past of great numbers of those inhabitants who were liable by law to be taxed for that purpose; and though some of them have lately returned, it is, nevertheless, now out of the power of memorialists to make an assessment, because the time limited by law for doing it is expired. That memorialists were obliged some time since to borrow a large sum of money, (exclusive of what hath been already lent by your honourable House,) in order to defray the expense of supporting the poor of this town and transient poor from the different parts of the country, and also from our sister States, who are daily applying for an increase of their monthly allowance because of the exorbitant prices that are demanded for all the necessaries of life. Memorialists therefore pray that your honourable House will take the case into your most serious consideration, and accordingly make provision for the subsistence of said poor until a tax can be legally assessed, or memorialists will be reduced to the unavoidable necessity of yielding up their trust, and leaving the poor altogether to the care of Heaven, or begging their daily bread from door to door."

Ordered, That the Memorial be referred to a Committee.

And it is referred to Mr˙ Hall, Mr˙ John Berwick, Mr˙ Verree, Mr˙ Brown, Mr˙ Toomer, Mr˙ Josiah Smith, Jun˙, and Mr˙ Eveleigh.