Original.
Calvert
Papers.
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four each, & the City of Annapolis sends two. Now the buis-
siness is to find Baits for 30 of these; which number is a clear
Majority, supposing they were all to attend; But it is very
rare by information that above two thirds are present, & not
above one Day in a Session that they Exceed 48. To answer
therefore this purpose, I would appropriate the 14 Sheriffs
places, which will undoubtedly secure 14 Members & may by
good Management of them comissions secure double that
number; (But with this reserve agt appropriation of the
Sheriffs in case it shall hurt the receipt of his Lordships Reve-
nue) There are 14 Farmers of his Lordships Quit-Rents, 14
Deputy Comissys & 14 Deputy Surveyours; all these places
are considerable to the Middling sort of people, of whom the
Lower House is composed, & might gain a great Majority of
that House by being properly applyed amongst them, their
Brothers & Sons; besides Military comissions & those of
Justice of the Peace without number, for others who may be
lead by their vanity & fondness of making a figure & being
vested with Power amongst their Neighbours. In Order to
carry this Plan into Excecution; it would be proper to Reduce
the Nomination of the New Sheriffs & Farmers of his Lordps
Quit-Rents (who generally hold their places for three years)
to one & the same year, & to the same time of that year, as
the Month of Novr for instance; every new Representative of
the people too should be Elected about the same time by
which means, as their continuance is for 3 years their begin-
ning & End will be, as those of the Sheriffs & Farmers
Offices; upon the meeting of a New Assembly it can be no diffi-
cult matter to insiniuate to one or two Members of each county
something concerng the Sheriffs comission & to others the
Farming of the Quit-Rents, & the Deputy comissys & Deputy
Surveyors comissions for themselves or their Relations as it
may be thought to suit best, to be entered upon as soon as
that Assembly expires, that is, at the End of three vears; by
this means they will be made at least cool & Moderate & by
an hint at proper Intervals in case of Misbehaviour, they may
& will be brought to Act as they ought, without any great
apprehension of lossing the People's favour on another Elec-
tion since as soon as they cease to be Assembly Men, they
commence Sheriffs Farmers &ca And thus they will be made
to Earn these Comissions before they have them, & they will
be excecuting these comissions for three years, while others
are in that House Earning the succession; But in order to
acquire a Credit to such hints or proposals, they should be
Inviolably complyed with, unless for some palpable Misbeha-
viour in the House, or during their several offices; in which
last case they ought to be immediately removed, & granted
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