314 Assembly Proceedings, October 6-November 6, 1725.

L. H. J.

Which said aggrievances were Sign'd by a Considerable
number ?] of the Inhabitants of the said County and the
report Endorst Viz.

By the Comittee of Aggrievances
Oct. 11^th 1725
On Perusing the Paper of aggrievances hereunto Annext
from Somerset County we are humbly of Opinion that the
first Second, third and fourth Articles thereof are worthy
the Consideration of the House and fit to be remedied but the
fifth we do not find to be any Grievance but a Generall benefit
and part of the fourth So farr as relates to the paying five or
ten shillings Extraordinary for Speciall Comissions we take
not properly to fall under the consideration of the House as
an abuse unprovided against, but that it is an Extortion against
the Laws in force.

p. 207

M^r George Plater Reg^r of the Com^rys office having ac-
quainted the Clerk of this Comittee that he should be Ready
[to] attend on any Complaint against him, has notice to At-
tend on a Complaint from Somerset County relating to his
taking a Fee for every Speciall Comission, who thereupon
appears, and on hearing the Complaint gives in Substance
the following Answer.
That before he Came to that office he was inform'd that the
money perquisites for drawing and Stateing accounts would
be worth forty or fifty pounds a year, But that when he Came
to that office he found it no such thing, and Complain'd to the
Comissaries that his Sallary was Small and the perquisites
of the office much Lessened by the frequent Granting Speciall
Comissions, and that thereupon he moved the Com^rys for
Leave to Charge a fee of five Shillings for every Speciall
Comission to pass an Account under an hundred pounds and
ten Shillings for all above and that the Comissarys told him
they thought it but reasonable and thereupon he informs the
Comittee that he wrote to Severall of the Deputy Comissaries
requiring them to insist on such ffees, but that since he heard
they were Complain'd of he has given orders to the Contrary
and should not insist further thereon and that he should be
ready to give an Account of what he has received; all which
is Reported and humbly Submitted to the House
Sign'd p ord^r Sam^l Hepbourn Cl. Com.

The Aggrievances Complain'd of by the Inhabitants of
Cecil County viz.

I^st That officers ffees are rated in Tobacco, and that in
Scarse years they Exact treble the value viz: twenty Shillings