Your petrs therefore Humbly pray yo' Hon^ and this Hon'^i'ie Board to take the matter into serious Consideration and not suffer those laws that are made for the protection and good of all his Maties subjects to be perverted to the Injury and oppression of them And that yo' pet'^ and other the ffreeholders of the said town may be relieved from those grievious burtliens laid on them by the said Trustees and the Assessors and other oflS.cers of the said town contrary to Law

And yo"" pet^s shall ever pray &c.

N York 15th October 1719 Richard Floyd

WM Smith

888 PAPERS RELATING TO SUFFOLK COUNTY.

COUNTER PETITION. '

To the Houbie Peter Schuyler Esqf President of his Majts Coimcill & Commander in Chief of the Prouince of New York, & Territories thereon depending in America, and all the members of his said Maj'^ Honourable Councill, Conuened in Councill The Humble Petition of the principall Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Town of Brookhauen in the County of Sufifolke. Sheweth

That your Petitioners being extreamly surprized, to Vnderstand by a Petition Exhibbitted your Hon^s the 15^^ of this instant by Richard Floyd & William Smith Esq", wherein the Trustees Assessors & Collector of this Town, are peremptorily charged w^h many illegall & indirect practices in their Late Publick administrations. Your Petitioners hauing duly weighed & considered the contents thereof, & finding it to containe many False & scandalous reflections, Esteem it our indispensible Duty, Humbly to represent to your Hon's That what moneys p"" said Trustees haue Lately ■ been raised to defray the Pubhck & necessary charge of this Town, was grounded on a very Just & unexceptionable bassis, and also been Judiciously appropriated to such pious & advantagious uses as are absolutely essentiall to the promoting Relligion, the adauncement of Learning, & securing the Pubhck Peace & Tranquillity of this Town : And that tho' represented to yo^' Honr^ as a greuious imposition ; yet from Time to time, wee haue freely and volentarily paid our respective assesments of all those Publick charges.