|
|
Person, but will you thence infer that he would chuse to undertake
it under the Strictnesses you have imposed for two p Cent.
It is notorious that if every Sheriff was rigorously to execute his
Office it wo :d prove extremely distressing to a great Number of
People, and that every good natured Man in this Office is obliged
to give such Indulgencies to the People as are attended with no
small Risk to himself; the Salary paid by Lord Baltimore to the
Sheriffs for collecting his Quit Rents /by which his Lordship has
saved the Commission of 5. p. Cent and not 10 : p : Cent, as you say/
has been a considerable Saving to his Lordship; but is your Inf errence
just, that because the Sheriffs are his Lordship's Collectors for a
Commission of 10 p. Cent, which is more considerable than they
receive from any other Person, which in no Instance exceeds 6 : p.
Cent, he ought to receive only a Commission of two p : Cent, for
executing the Duty of a Collector under your Bill which would be
attended with more Trouble & Risk? A Sheriff can hardly be liable
to the Proprietary for any Rents due from his Tenants which he has
not a Security for/ we mean the Land chargeable with the Rent,
but that can't be said in Respect of the Tax upon Chattels which
may be removed or disposed of before the Sheriff can conveniently
execute
Upon the Whole Gentlemen, tho' we will not consent to establish
the Partiality introduced by your Bill, yet it is as far from our
Inclination as from our Interest to give extravagant Rewards to any
Persons who might be employed in the Execution of it, which you
|
U. H. J.
Liber No. 35
May 4
|
|
|
|
know would be as burthensome to us as any others who might be
affected thereby
Tis true that the Commissioners of the Loan Office were contrary
to the established Usage directed by the £40000 : Act to put in Suit
the Bonds of some Defaulters, and when we see that when the
Exercise of a Power has been permitted in any Instance of little
Consequence this Permission is set up as a Precedent surely we
can't be blamed for endeavouring to bring Things back to their
former Establishments.
Any proper Precaution to prevent the public Moneys sinking in the
Pockets of Collectors and to compel the speedy Payment thereof
that it may be applied to the public Service it is our joint Interest
to promote, and we think it would be a prudent Regulation to direct
the Commissioners of the Loan Office to return the Names of all
Defaulters to the Governor that their Bonds may be sued by his
Order when it may be expedient, and that without any public
Application to his Excellency for the Purpose; this Method will
answer the Design you mention, be more agreeable to the Usage
of the Province and as those whose Bonds will be liable to be put
in Suit must be charged at all Events with Costs, Mistake and
Partiality ought to be strongly guarded against
36
|
p. 314
|
|
