Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 411

Advice & Assistance in Council more than we have had from
the Attendance of the present Receiver Gen^l in short My Ld
not to trouble your Ldp with an Enumeration of any more
Difficulties, the Impropriety of an Agent's Residing on the
Eastern Shore is not less in my Opinion than if a Clerk of
His Majesty's Exchequer was to reside constantly at Bath or
Canterbury. The only Convenience that can be suggested in
favour of an Agent's Living on the Eastern Shore is that the
Sheriffs or Farmers of those seven Counties may pay him the
Quit Rents &c. without being under a necessity of Crossing
the Bay to come to Annapolis; but in Answer to this it might
be said that unless such Agent's Dwelling is just in the
Middle on the high Road between Worcester & Cecil Coun-
ties & in some Town it must be more convenient for most of
those Sheriffs to come at once hither where there being many
good Houses of Entertainment they can be always well
accommodated, & besides they are all obliged to attend here
twice every year on the Provincial Court which detains them
in Town at least for a Week at a time each Court, & was the
Agent to Reside in this City with what Ease could they at
those Seasons settle with him, when the Rent Roll Keepers

would be also present. As I imagine enough has been said
to make Your Ldp averse to appointing two Agents instead
of One, I will now take the Liberty to point out to Your Ldp
what Sort of Person was it my own Affair I should prefer to
others. In the first place then it should not be one that is
already possessed of a monstrous Fortune for as a large
Estate in this Country will not turn to Account to the Owner
unless he devotes a great part of his time to the Care & Man-
agement of it, such a one could not give so much attention
to the Administration or management of Your Ldp's Affairs
as must be given in order that they may be brought into &
kept for the future under proper Regulation, Your Ldp is I
apprehend too well convinced of the Justice of this observa-
tion. Again a Gentleman that hath had an Education for the
Bar will not undertake it, for if he is already in good Practice
or has a promising Prospect of Business he can get more by
his Profession than the Agents Salary or Commission will
amount to, & unless he was to lay aside or neglect other
People's your Ldp's Business would be but ill attended to.
What remains then is to pitch upon some Gentleman in a dif-
ferent Situation from those I have mentioned, & as Your Ldp
seems desirous that the Agent or Agents should be of the
Council you will I flatter myself excuse me for giving Your
Ldp some Hints concerning the present members that might
enable Your Ldp the better to judge & determine which of
them you would choose to appoint Col^o Lloyd's Successor.