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Were Present
The Honble Benjamin Tasker and Daniel Dulany Esquires of the
Upper House
M.r Joshua George,
Major Henry Hall,
Col.° John Hall,
Of the Lower House
M.r Nicholas Goldsborough,
M.r John Gresham,
Doctor George Buchanan
Who make Choice of Benjamin Tasker Esq.r Chairman and
Richard Dorsey their Clerk
Your Conferrees have agreed that the Officers ffees shall be under
the following Regulations Viz.t That there shall be fifteen Pounds
of Tobacco allowed for all Searches in the superior Offices; Searches
under a Years standing not to be charged; and nine Pounds of
Tobacco per Side reckoning One hundred and five Words to a Side
for recording and copying in the said Offices
That there shall be a Deduction of One fifth of all Officers ffees
as now taken except for the above two Articles. That the Com-
missary General shall have no ffees on small Estates which shall not
exceed the Value of thirty Pounds Currency nor on Services which
shall be performed by the Deputy Commissaries in Virtue of their
Offices. That there shall be Tables of the several ffees in the Act
according to the Limitations now agreed on
That Clerks shall be restrained from entring any Motions or
Orders in civil or criminal Cases but where any Party shall desire
and pay for the Entry. That there be a proper Clause in the Act to
restrain Officers from exacting or taking any more or other ffees
than such as shall be mentioned in it; and that there be an Oath of
Office; and that the Act shall continue for seven Years and to the
End of the next Session of Assembly which shall happen after the
End of the said seven Years."
This Extract needs no Comment. The Sense of the two Houses
on this Point is fully and clearly expressed. It is true the Bill for
Limitation of Officers ffees with several other Bills of Importance
were rejected by the Governor; for what Reason does not appear; but
it may be conjectured, and perhaps your Honours may know, that
it was because the Lower House did not pass a Bill for Arms and
Ammunition, which at that Time was deemed an Object of the first
concern with Government.
In the Year 1747, when the Inspection Law first passed, including
a Regulation of the Staple as well as of the Officers ffees, this Point
of the double Charge does not appear to have been agitated. A
Minute Detail of the Circumstances attending the several Re-enact-
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