C. P.

P. 18

2dly If you have such a Power, in what manner may they be best regulated by such Power, and how can you Enable the Officers to Exact such fees Effectually.

3dly If your Charter may not warrant such a Power, whither must the Officers resort to, for a Settlement thereof certain and secure on the Assemblys refusal to confirm to them such fees, as they have hitherto Enjoy'd; or what Course can the Officers take to recover their fees.

4thly Whether, whilst there is no Law here for fees nor any other Certain Establishm' the Officers may not recover fees at Law According as they are Settled in the Courts of England by the Very Rule Lay'd down by these people, that the Laws of England are to take place, where our own are Silent. And in Generall How it may be possible and more Convenient to Come to Certainty in this Affair.

The Consequence of some such Inquirys as these to the Honour and quiet of your Government seems very Evident; for wee here know not which way to turn ourselves in such nice and important matters. Wee can do no more then insist on yo' regulation of 1719, pursuant to your Instruction, but that will not get us the fees, unless wee can be put into some method to Exact them, without the help of an Act of Assembly, which cannot easily be Obtained.

I have for this time done with Publick Affairs, wherein if I have tired your Patience, tho I hope I have not beyond Excuse trespassed on your goodness.

In your kind Letter of April 3d 1729 wherewth you favoured me, you order'd me to Acquaint Mr Lloyd, to remit to Cap' Hyde for yr. use the Quota out of the Secretary's Office wch Mr Lowe used to have; before I saw Mr Lloyd after the receipt P. 19 of yours, I received a Letter from Mr Beake wherein he Desired me, to send him a Copy of the Commission to him and Lowe, which is here recorded, Upon perusall whereof (in the Copy herein Inclosed) you will find the sd Office Granted to the Survivor of them, which being a transaction, so very early in your minority, I imagined you might possibly have forgot when you wrote your letter, and as M' Beake by Desiring a Copy of the Commission, seems to have that Survivorship in View, and doubtless long agoe has apprized you of his thoughts that way, if he has that View, I thought it most convenient, to deferr Speaking to M' Lloyd, untill I should receive y' further Commands therein which I will answer, will be time Enough for any payments he will make on that Score; I have sent Mr Beake a like Copy of the Commission, which in Common Civility was not to be refused, and Which being publick on record, might Easily have been had from any one Else.

I have heretofore mentioned the necessity of Resurveying c..P. your Mannors, without which much of them will soon be lost; p. 20 many daily Incroach on them, and the Evidences that Can only prove bounded trees, as daily grow Old and Drop of; Your Orders to your Agent therein will I think be of the Utmost Consequence to y' Landed Interest, and not for the Above reasons to be Delayd; Your Mannor of Pangayah is they say already Swallow'd up, for people pretend, that no one knows where to find it.

Ned Continues Very thin, and his Cough and Spitting very troublesome, I much fear the Approaching Winter will hardly relieve it.

The Cold Season is a relief to me; Wee have been lately up to Philadelphia on a Visit to Gov' Gordon where wee were received in a particular Handsome manner, but I was Extreamly ill both there and in my whole Journey, since I Came home, I have had a Severe flux, but it has carried of the Cholick, and with the Sharpness of the weather I begin p. 21 to have a little appetite, which for the Summer Six months I was an Utter stranger to, living that time I think in Continued Misery and pain, but as yet there are few things that will stay upon my stomach.

I beg leave to remind you of a matter, which by M' Lowe's Death, possibly you may be a Stranger to, Viz. That after the Last hearing before the Attorney and Sollicitor Generall about the 3 Lower Counties, a Great many Papers of yours relating to that Dispute, were left for their Perusal and perhaps may Still be there.

Pursuant to your last powers given me I have Sworn Col Rider of the Councill, who I hope will give Satisfaction; I shall to the Utmost of my power recommend Such to that Board, as will be of most Credit and use to it, and follow your Advices thereto, as Close as possible; but believe me, such men as ought to be Chosen, are not Easily got, and few men Care for an Empty Honour attended with trouble without some recompense.

There is not places in the Government Sufficient for all, p. 22 and the Country refuse still to pay them Even for Attendance when Necessary;

It is in Vain now to Expect to gain the Country to do it; they say the 15 pence p' Hgd. for the Support of Government, raises such a Considerable sum more than the Salary settled on the Gov' that you Ought to pay y' Councill out of it, if you think they Deserve any reward for their Attendance, and this is preachd with the more Spitefull View, that the Councill should think themselves Slighted by you, whilst you refuse to pay them for Attendance; They farther urge that the

C. P. Councill in Virginia is paid by the Crown, out of the Revenue

for the Support of Government; and that the Revenue raised here for Support of Governm' is greater than Ever it was before y' time. As to this Last Assertion, it is true, that the Additional 3 pence for the Support of Government, is more than Equivalent for the Increase in the Gauge of Hgds. P. 23 I hope D' Brother you will favourably accept this rough Draught of y' Publick Affairs, of y' Private Interest you will I suppose hear from others. My Weaknesses I doubt are many, but yet sure I am, they cannot out number my Affections to your Service; For I am most Sincerely and entirely Devoted to you a becometh

Annapolis
Oct 26th
1729.

Dearest Brother

Your Most Affectionate Brother
And Most Obliged Servant

Bendt Leond Calvert

INDEX TO NAMES OF PERSONS AND PLACES.