500 Opinions, Orders and Instructions, 1773.

Lib. 82, J. R.

tation of Officers' Fees with the same Proviso as was contained
as aforesaid in the Act of 1676 and so from Time to Time from
1692 to 1725 except for a very short Interval
In the year 1692 when the Government of the Province was
assumed by the Crown M^r Copley was appointed Governor
and was empowered by his Commission and Instructions
from the Crown to settle with the Council the ffees of Officers.
M^r Blakiston received a Commission in 1692 from their
Majesties to be Commissary General and was thereby em-
powered to receive the ffees and Emoluments that should be
settled by them or their Governor and Council.
Governors Nicholson Blackiston Seymour and Hart, the
Successive Governors after Copley appointed by the Crown till
Lord Baltimore was restored, were respectively empowered by
their Commissions to Settle the Fees of Officers.
In the Province of New York the ffees of Officers were
settled in the year 1708 by the Governor and Council and their
Regulation has continued to the present time.
In the year 1733 there then being no act of Assembly for
the Purpose and Lord Baltimore being in Maryland He settled
the Fees of Officers.
The Costs in the Courts of Law and Equity consist of the
ffees paid to the Officers and Lawyers and from the year 1733
to the year 1747 the Officers charged their ffees according to
his Lordship's Settlement and all the Judgments of the several
Courts during that Period were [settled] accordingly.
In 1747 An Act of Assembly passed for the Inspection of
Tobacco and by this Act Tables of Fees for all the Officers
were established. This Act being Temporary expired in the
year 1770.
On the expiration of this Act Governor Eden and the Coun-
cil settled the ffees according to the Tables of the said expired
Act and a Proclamation issued to notify the same
It is to be observed that ffees have always been charged in
Tobacco and it being inconvenient to Pay when and as soon as
the Services are performed the Officers have always given
Credit to the Suitors and the ffees are annually Collected by
the Sheriffs.
In the Acts of Assembly settling the Fees of Officers a
Remedy was given to them to compel Payment of fees by Dis-
tress and on this Account particularly the Officers have been
desirous of a Settlement by Act of Assembly and on Account
of this Convenience to the Officers. Advantage has been taken
or aimed at from time to time to reduce very much their Fees.
From the Expiration of the Act of 1747 to the present Time
the Costs in all the Courts have been taxed according to the