It has been deserted by great numbers of its Sea men and other Inhabitants, who have been obliged to Seek their Bread in the neighbouring Colonies, while the Lands in the Country and the Houses in the City, have been seen to sink to near half their fformer Value, and its Navigation Almost wholy fallen into the hands of Strangers, and at the same time, universal Discontent ready to break out into publick Tumult and Disorder, and Extream poverty, have overspread the Country and threatened its utter ruin.

This is, or very lately was, the Miserable Estate of this Colony, which rendered the Disolution of the last Assembly Necessary both for his Majesty's Honour and the Interest of the Country. And the present Assembly when chosen, being of Opinion that the present and past Miseries of this Country, were greatly owing to the want of the frequent election of Assemblys, they past the Law in Question, presuming that upon the weighty Reasons upon which it is founded, it would not fail of the Royal Assent. The Assembly observed, that the Great Declension of this Country in all its valuable Interests, had hapened during the Continuance of the Two last long Assemblies, while at the same time no visible Cause could be assigned, for it but what it was in the power of a ffree and ffrequent Representation of the People to prevent, Especially when at the same time, the neighbouring Colonies of the Masachusets Bay Connecticut and Rhode Island on the one hand, and Pensilvania on the other, were Increasing in People, flourishing in Trade, and abounding with Wealth and Contentment.