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U. H. J.
Liber No. 35
April 18
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respectively, and also particular Accounts of all and every the Parts
and Parcels of the Manors and reserved Lands, which shall be in
the Tenure and Occupation of any Person or Persons with the
Names of the Tenants Occupiers, or Possessors by the last Day
of next August.
The Words /according to the best Information he has/ are so
vague and indeterminate, that he could not be secure ag.t Complaints,
or even a Prosecution however exact he might be unless he should
put himself to the very great Expence of surveying all the Manors
and reserved Lands in the Province, and thereby ascertain the Quan-
tity of Acres, this Service is to be exacted by a severe Penalty and
he is to receive Nothing.
The Receivers of the Quit Rents are also the private Officers of
the Proprietary and paid by him out of his Revenue, they are
directed by the Bill to make out and deliver by the second Day
of October next to the Commissioners true and fair Accounts from
their last Debt Books of the Names and Quantities of Acres of
every Tract or Parcel of Land within their Counties, and to whom
the same to the best of their Information belongs or ought to be
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p. 274
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charged, making a separate account for each Hundred as nearly as
they can judge on Pain of forfeiting £50: in Case of Omission, for
this the Reward is 40/ :
The Commissioners of the several Counties are Officers intended
to be originally appointed by the Lower House and created by the
Bill each of these Gentlemen are to receive 8./ p Diem during the
Time they shall be employed in the Service required of them.
The respective Sheriffs who are Officers appointed by the Gov-
ernm.t are directed to do the Duty of Collectors and are to receive a
Commission of two p Centum by the Bill. Sheriffs are entitled to
6 : p. Centum upon their Collection of Officer's and Lawyer's Fees,
and we do not recollect an Instance of a less Commission than 5. p
Centum being allowed them upon any public or County Levy, the
Service directed to be done by the Bill would be attended with as
much Expence Hazard and Trouble to the Sheriffs as in Case of any
other Collection: they are to give new Security in £3000: and are
held to the utmost Strictness in accounting not only for the Monies
which they should actually receive, but which they might in the
Apprehension of others receive. Their Bonds are liable to be put in
Suit upon a Mistake, and at all Events they are to be charged with
the Payment of their own Costs. To this we object because the
Commission will not yield an adequate Satisfaction to the Officer for
his faithful and diligent Discharge of his Duty, and we likewise
object to the lodging of a Power in the Commissioners of the Loan
Office to put the Collectors Bonds in Suit contrary to the established
Usage of placing it in the supreme Magistrate.
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