520 Correspondence of Gov. Horatio Sharpe, 1754-1765.

as the Law Directs by & with the Advice of the Attor^y Gen^l
Counsel for the Lord Proprietor, the Expence to be lay'd &
approved by the Board & to stand charged to his Lord^p in
the annual Acco^ts of the Rec^rs Gen^l by them transmitted to
his Lord^p And it is proposed that 5 p^r C^t to be paid to the
Stewards of the Several Manors out of the 10 p^r C^t of Rent
Value as has been usualy paid to the said Stewards for their
Care & good Acco^t & that 4 p^r C^t thereof be paid to the Rec^rs
Gen^l for their trouble & that the remain^g one p^r C^t to the use
of the Clerk of the Land Office afores^d His Lord^p desires
Your Consideration on the above Plan for Method & Recti-
tude of his Private Property, w^h for want of Regular Estab-
lishment is precarious, Besides the want of a Proper Office as
Repository for all his Inst^ns Deeds & Papers Subjects his
Revenues to great Distress & Loss. By the. above scheme, he
purposes knowledge & Security by Advice & the Means of
his Guidance & right Issue & the giving him Contentment in
Justice his Due Strictly from his Several Officers of Revenue,
who are by him well paid for their so Doing. He trusts in
Y^r friendship & Service & that you'l favour him with Y^r
opinion & Report of & concern^g. The Proffits on the Land
Office the 10 p^r C^t often Am^ts to four & five hundred Pounds
p^r Ann: half is proposed to the Gov^r & may be annex'd ffees
on all warrants Grants &c^a & in whose hands the office seals
should Rest. On the stability of this office the Lord Pro-
prietors Happiness depends & the only Security for due
Circulation of wealth to the Owner, is check upon check; 'tis
the Band of Honesty, the Land Office is a great Trust & of
the utmost consequence to all concerned; therefore requires
real fidelity & the best Abilities for due Execution, much
Waste has been & Now is of Quit-Rent not in Possession of
the Proprietor But of these things you & M^r Attor^y Bordley
can Right, the present condition & Management of the Office
is a reproach of Misdemeanour in Public Employm^t The
intention of the Plan is two Rec^r Gen^l My Lord desires y^r
recomendation of them with Sufficient security & hopes for
them of the Upper House & thinks it proper that the Rent-
Roll-Keepers Place should belong to the office of the Rec^rs
General. It will be proper to add M^r Tasker Deputy Sec^ry
& M^r Comiss^r Dulany to be of the Board as their Offices
concern his Lord^ps Land affairs. M^r Thomas is aged, why
not to be prevailed upon to resign his Seat at the Council
for the Benefit of his son to be Rec^r Gen^l of the West Shore,
with remove of M^r Chamberlaine who is also Aged & Seldom
Attends the Council, his seat will serve for the other Rec^r &
he may keep his place as Naval Officer. I am anxious for