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416 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. IV
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& in order that he may be incited the more to keep all his
Accounts regular & make them up or Close them at a certain
time every year. Let some of the Members of the Council
be impowered & directed to meet & examine them, as they
must be competent Judges whether the Agent does his
Utmost to bring every thing into Order, & if there should be
a Fault or neglect any where will discern who alone of the
Persons concerned in managing or Collecting His Ldp's
Revenue is culpable, I conceive the Agent would be ashamed
to be found tardy by them, & then by such Boards examining
his Accounts annually & rectifying any Errors here (should
any be discovered) Your Trouble in Reviewing & examining
them will be much lessened & His Ldp be satisfied that Jus-
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p. 97
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tice is done him by those who may be entrusted with the Man-
agement of his Affairs in the Province. Should the Agent at
any other Season beside the time when his Accounts are to be
examined desire the Advice of the Board the Gentlemen may
be summoned to meet on the Agent's Communicating his
Desire & shewing the Expediency of such meeting to the
Governor. This Measure alone will in my Opinion if the
Agent performs his Duty effectually answer the Intention of
your Plan, for indeed the good management & due Regula-
tion of His Ldp's Revenue entirely depends on the Agent's
Residing here & being diligent & attentive to his Duty. As
I did not know whether His Ldp was well acquainted with
the Abilities & Characters of all the Gentlemen of the Council
& you tell me he is fond of appointing his Agent or Agents
from among the Members of that Board I have taken the-
Liberty to give His Ldp a few Hints concerning each of them
which may enable him the better to make his Election tho I
think there is not one of them that he can choose except Mr
Calvert & I presume from what you wrote concerning him
the 20th of May 1755 he will scarcely be appointed. In Case
His Ldp should not approve of any of the Gentlemen that are
at present of the Council I have mentioned Mr Ridout to him
as a Person qualified to execute the Office of Agent & worthy
of His Ldp's Favour. I hope that in Recommending him
after such a manner to His Ldp I don't do a Thing disagree-
able to you, notwithstanding you take no notice of what I said
to you concerning him the 13th of July last, or if you have any
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p. 98
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objection to Mr Ridout's being promoted Let me intreat it as
a favour of you to acquaint me with the Cause of Your Dis-
approbation. Your Proposal for Mr P Thomas to Resign his
Seat in the Council to his Son the Keeper of the Eastern
Shore Rent Roll cannot be carried into Execution; You may
remember that I appointed the Son Rent Roll Keeper to
gratify the Father whom it was not in my Power to serve as I
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