TO His EXCELLENCY
GABRIEL JOHNSTON, Eſq;
- May it pleaſe Your Excellency,
COL. Moſeley, the other Commiſſioner concerned with me, in the Collecting, Compiling, Reviſing, and Printing the LAWS in Force in this Province, being dead, I alone bed Leave to Dedicate Them to Your Excellency, as their Patron and Protector; under whoſe wiſe and prudent Adminiſtration, the greateſt Part of the beſt of them have been formed.
FROM the known Benevolence of your Diſpoſition, I am ſatisfied, it muſt give You great Pleaſure, Sir, That this WORK, ſo repeatedly recommended to the General Aſſembly of this Province, and ſo long and earneſtly deſir’d by You; hath been carried on by Your favourable influence, and finiſhed during Your Government.
ALTHO’ the Subſtance of each Law, and Clauſe of every Law, in Force, is ſtrictly preſerved; yet, I am ſenſible, they fall greatly ſhort of that Correctness of Stile and Diction, which may be expected in a Work of this Nature; and, in thoſe Points, will not ſtand an Examination, eſpecially of ſo diſcerning a Judge as Your Excellency; But as You are well acquainted with the many Difficulties which attended us, in the performing of this Service for the Publick, I hope our defects will by You be favourably conſidered.
