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here for such their Transportation, giving Bond to Land them
in America; Therefore their pretending a Property of Sale of
them for the respective Terms of years they are severally Con-
demned to Transportation, appears to me Unwarrantable; It
being Death to the Convict transported, to return before the
Term he or she is transported for is out: Therefore if the
Contractor sells a Convict, it is to be apprehended he sells such
Convict as if an indented Servant, or as a Servant according to
the Custom of the Province agreeable to the Act of the
Province. This Sort of Evidence would be right to get con-
nected, in case of any Proceedings against the Officers of
Maryland relating to this Duty.
When the Circumstance of Convicts falls under the Consid-
eration of the Assembly, I think the best way to Settle that
Point would be to charge the Purchaser on his having a
Property by Sale of a Person to him for a Term of years:
I told Mr Attorney that Pensilvania and other parts of His
Majestys Territories in America charged a Duty on them, he
said not to his Knowledge. The Imposition that you observe
is on them in Pensilvania and some of the Islands £5. p Pole
makes me Imagine is the Reason of Their having got Rid of H
them. The Contractors for transportation of them, their Com-
plaint is most certainly unreasonable, Considering they sell at
£8. and £20 each, sure a good Premium for their Passage and
as you Remark cannot complain of a Hard Bargain, Exclusive
of the money paid here for their Transportation. —
My Lord Desires you'l Note to Mr Commissary Tasker his
Issuing out of his office Regular Lists of Devises for the Com-
pletion of Debt Books. — My Lord is desirous of doing any
thing for Mr Dulany you shall Recommend to him, and of
which he shall not want my friendship for Service to him with
His Lordship. I should be glad of a List of the Council.
To The Honble Horatio Sharpe Esqr Lieutenant Governor of H
Maryland.
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