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U. H. J.
Liber No. 35
May 4
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by the Bill to all the Commissioners of the Loan Office and their
Clerk, yet the Agents when that is paid will each of them receive more
than thirty one Times the Reward given by your Bill to each of the
Commissioners of the Loan Office.
The Pretence you have thought of for oppressing the Commission-
ers of the Loan Office will hardly be insisted upon to justify your
Attempt to oppress his Lordship's Agent; he is a private Officer ap-
pointed by Lord Baltimore and paid by his Lordship out of his
Revenue; that the Services required of him under a Penalty would
be attended with much Trouble you cannot but suppose.
Part of several of his Lordship's Manors and reserved Lands are
under Patent upon the common Terms; the Quantity under this
Circumstance can't be ascertain'd but with much Trouble and some
Expence
The Duties required of the Receivers of his Lordship's Quit Rents
in our Opinion are so far from being compensated by the 40/. Re-
ward, that we think no Person not compelled by the Severity of
Penalties would undertake them for five Times that Sum, and we
are not convinced that you have any more Authority too exact by
paenal Provisions, Services from the private Officers of the Pro-
prietary, appointed by him to manage and collect his Revenue, than
you have to compel the Services of the Agent or Factor of any private
Person
We have not said that the Allowance to the Commissioners of
the Land tax is extravagant, nor do we think the Commission of
the Agents, exceeds the Merit of their Services, what we remarked
was that the Rewards given to the Persons who had been appointed
by the Government or employed by Lord Baltimore in the Affairs of
his Revenue were inadequate, and by a fair Comparison we under-
took to shew that the Bill was extremely partial to the Persons you
had assumed the Power of nomination.
If the Office of Sheriff is more lucrative than it ought to be,
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p. 313
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it arises from the Commission allowed him for the Services he does
for private Persons & who ought therefore to be relieved by a
Deduction of the Commission if it is too high, we suppose the
Commission of 6: p Cent given to the Sheriffs by Act of Assembly
was not with a View of taking from private Persons more than
the Services done for them deserved, that thereby the Sheriffs might
be enabled to perform Services for the Public at a less Rate than
they are really & independently considered worth/ if such a View
was entertained it can't be defended, and such a Regulation ought
to take Place as may apportion the Commission of Sheriffs to their
respective Services
Without Doubt as you have observed, a Sheriff may execute the
Office of Collector with less Trouble and Difficulty than any other
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