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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 383
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acquiesce & said he would consider on what had been the
Subject & purport of our Conversation. As he is lately
removed hither I have since had an Opportunity of conversing
on this Subject with Mrs Young who does not seem much
inclined to consent to her Husband's waving his Right to a
Seat at the Council, tho as She is desirous of his having
a lucritive Employment as well as Honour she joins with him
in asking a good Clerkship but as none may possibly become
vacant for some time she hopes your Ldp will not be averse to
appointing him in the interim Keeper of the Western Shore
Rent-Roll as that being already perfect may be properly kept
without any great Difficulty or Skill. Your Ldp will do therein
as you may judge best, but if the Naval Office of Potuxent was
vacant I think that would be more desirable than either the
Rent Roll or a Clerkship & would not disqualify him for being
Councillor if your Ldp should choose to distinguish him by
that Title. Inclosed I send your Ldp a Copy of my Speech to
the Assembly at the Opening of this Session with the Addresses
of both Houses in Answer: the Burgesses have voted £40000
for His Majesty's Service, & their Committee have been ever
since framing a Bill in consequence of such Vote, so we have
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Letter Bk. I.
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been now met five weeks without doing any thing, it is said
the Bill will be brought into the House the Beginning of next
week but as I hear they have therein inserted a Clause sub-
jecting your Ldp's Mannours to the payment of a Land Tax
which is one of the Funds, I do not entertain very sanguine
hopes of their doing the Business for which I convened them
in such a manner as Common Sense should dictate & their
Constituents desire. Governor Morris informs me that His
Assembly sat a Month without coming to any Determination or
Resolution & then adjourned themselves for a fort-night, he
does not seem to expect any thing from them at their Meeting
on such Adjournment; & Governor Dinwiddie's Expectations
from his Assembly (which is also met) appear I think to be less
warm than usual. General Shirley has been pleased since the
Assembly met to send me a Commission & Instructions to take
the Command of all the Troops that may be raised in these
Southern Colonies for an Expedition to the Westward, I have
thanked the General for his intended Favour, but as Affairs
are at present situated I have forbid him to expect my doing
any thing, & intimated to him that while Men, Money, Arms,
Ammunition, the smallest Train, Provisions & Credit are wanting
his Commission will not much contribute to the Reduction of
the French Fort or the Security of our own Frontiers: in truth
my Ld the Condition of these Colonies is deplorable, The
Enemy see us inactive & naturally hold us in Contempt,
the Success the Indians have met with encourages them to
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p. 191
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