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my Receipt of them & to communicate to His Ldp & yourself
my Sentiments with respect to the proposition for farming the
Quit Rents to the Highest Bidder. I have desired Colo Lloyd
to inform me how many Stones with the Arms graved thereon
& how many mark't MP were ship't on board the Vessel com-
manded by Capt Montgomerie & as soon as I receive an
Answer shall give Orders for their being transported to the
places where they are to be set up: I suppose there will be
wanted in all between fifty & sixty of those with the respective
Proprietors Arms graven on them (to be set up at five Miles
Distance) & two hundred of the others if one is to fixed at the
End of every Mile, both in the Tangent & in the East & West
Line. You do not tell me how large the Stones are which
Capt Montgomerie has now brought, nor can I yet learn, but
hope they are at least four feet long & in my Opinion the
Stone to be fixed at the Point where the East & West Line
begins ought to be much larger especially as that Spot
happens to be in a Bottom or Hollow & swampy Ground.
Since I last wrote to you I have received a Letter from Mr
Holliday (to whom I had by a Line intimated the purport of
His Ldps Instruction in his favour) in which he expresses his
Sense of the honour intended him but desires to be excused
qualifying as a Member of the Council because he thinks it
might interfere with the Scheme of Life he has plan'd for
himself meaning 1 suppose a private independant quiet Life
which he really seems fond of, & to One of his Temper it
must doubtless be the happiest, but I am for my part sorry he
has taken such a Resolution for I have a very good Opinion
of both his honour & Abilities & thought that in recommend-
ing him I was serving both His Ldp & the Province. As Mr
Hollidays answer makes it necessary that I should recommend
some other Gentleman to fill the vacant Seat in the Council I
have taken the liberty to mention Mr Brice to His Ldp as one
by whom it would in my opinion be very well filled & whom
therefore I should be glad His Ldp would be pleased to
appoint, he has you know been for many years Chief Justice
of the Provincial Court is a Man of good Capacity & very
well esteemed, & as he resides in Annapolis will be ready to
give his Attendance on all Occasions when it might be expe-
dient to call a Council, which is a Circumstance of some Con-
sideration for as most of the Members live at a great Distance
from Annapolis & Mr Dulany is frequently absent it really is
often difficult at present to get enough of them together to do
Business either as a Council or Court of Appeals. Having
lately received a Letter from Virginia & some from Gentle-
men who live on this side Potowmack in favour of a
young Clergyman one Mr Read who was brought up at the
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Letter Bk. IV
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