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L. H. J.
Liber No. 54
Nov. 16
p. 173
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Tobacco per Side, the then established Allowance for recording
would have cost more than treble his Charge. We must also remind
your Honours, that in Consequence of the same Contract with M.r
Duckett, he was paid a Sum of Money for transcribing the Journal
of this House from 1692 to 1715, by an Ordinance of both Houses,
in May Session 1768, in which a Sum of Money granted to the late
Governor was included. These Considerations will, we doubt not,
evince to your Honours the Justice of M.r Duckett's Claim to an
immediate Payment, and be sufficient to prevail on you to pass
the Bill
We beg Permission also to remind your Honours, that our Journal
of Accounts, sent up for your Assent only, early in the last Session,
was not returned to us, when, by your Advice, as his Lordship's
Council of State, the late Prorogation happened, and by that Means
we have been deprived, this Session, of an Opportunity of making
such Additions thereto, and of adjusting the publick Claims in such
Manner as we should esteem just and proper.
Signed by Order. Jn.o Duckett Cl. Lo. Ho.
Which was read and ordered to lie on the Table
M.r W. Paca brings in, and delivers to M.r Speaker the following
ingrossed Address
To his Excellency Robert Eden, Esq; Governor and Commander in
Chief in and over the Province of Maryland
The humble Address of the House of Delegates
May it please your Excellency
We find, by Reports of the Committee appointed to inspect into
the State of the several publick Offices, in every Session since the
Year Seventeen hundred and sixty six, down to the last, Copies of
which we herewith present to your Excellency, that there are many
Errors, and Omissions in the Commissary's and Land Office, and a
Neglect in not making up the Records of Judgments for several years,
in the Secretary's Office, and some of the Alphabets and Record Books
much out of Repair, both in the Commissary's and Land Office; and
that there are two Bundles of Wills and Inventories, exhibited in
seventeen hundred and fifty nine, and seventeen hundred and sixty,
in the Commissary's Office not yet recorded. The evil Consequence
of Negligence or Remissness in the Execution of publick Offices, the
Records of which are almost the only Evidence of Property in this
Province, are but too obvious. We therefore hope your Excellency
will use your utmost Influence, to have the Errors, Omissions and
Damages which have happened, rectified, supplied and repaired, as
far as can be; and also, that there be a more exact Discharge of Duty
by Gentlemen who enjoy such publick Offices.
The Law directs Bonds to be given, in large Penalties, by those
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