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428 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. IV
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Case for the former hold their Commissions under the Com-
missary Genl & the latter under the Surveyor's Genl of the
Eastern & Western Shores. I have already hinted to you
that there are many of the Assembly Men who are not
qualified to execute the abovementioned Offices for it is nec-
essary that the former should be acquainted with the Art of
Surveying Platting &c. & write a tolerable Hand otherwise
there would soon be great Confusion & Discontent. Nor is
it every one among them that is able to Transact the Business
of a Deputy Commissary. As to the Collection of His Ldp's
Quit Rents, that Affair cannot now the Farmers Commission
for Collecting: is reduced to 10 pr Ct (which is no more than
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p. 115
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half of what was given before my Arrival in the Province) be
a Means of extending the Influence of Government in such a
manner as is supposed by the Plan you have been pleased to
communicate to me. The Truth is that most of the Sheriffs
think the Collection of the Quit Rents on the Terms they farm
them at present a Burthen rather than a Benefit & if the Com-
mission allowed is hardly a Recompence for their Trouble it
cannot be worth any other Person's while to sollicit those Con-
tracts, I mean any Person above the Common Class (who
could not be trusted) for I believe the whole Amount of the
Commission of 10 pr Ct in some of the Counties falls short of
£30 stg. a year, a Sum which I am confident most People that
can write tolerably & are at all acquainted with Business may
in this Country get with much less Trouble & Application
than is necessary in order to Collect the Quit Rents. Tis
true that the Sheriffs have rather too much Business on their
hands at present being obliged to Collect the Land Tax as
well as the Excise & other Duties but they will be discharged
from that in another year & then the abovementioned Objec-
tion to their being required to farm the Rents will no longer
subsist. As to the proposal for bringing the Sheveralties
under such Regulation as that the whole Fourteen may be
appointed at once. I think such an Innovation or unusual
Mode would be impolitick for as the Sheriffs according to the
Plan are to be then appointed from among the members of
the Lower House or their near Relations, the Leaders in that
House & those who are Enemies to the Governt would
immediately discover the Intention of such a Step & take the
Alarm, whereupon a Bill would be immediately framed for
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p. 116
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disqualifying every Member, his near Relations & Dependants
to hold any Office whatever, the Designs of his Ldp & those
here who have the honour to serve him would be represented
as most iniquitous & arbitrary & occasion be there from taken
to render his Ldp's Govt odious to the People. But suppose
there were to be new Sheriffs appointed in the several
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