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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 427
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the Act is to endure be about £400 Currency. As many of
the Back Inhabitants abandoned their Plantations on Account
of the Incursions of the Indians & the unhappy distracted &
defenceless Condition of the Province deterred people from
taking up Land or making Settlements as usual His Ldp's
Revenue from Lands was £1600 less last year than in the
preceeding, the Interest of which as His Ldp's Agent rightly
observes is more than his proportion of the Tax at present
imposed will amount to. Had the Assembly broke up at
this time without making some Provision for the Defence &
Security of the Frontiers it is more than probable, that the
Western Settlements for a great many Miles in Extent would
within these twelve Months have been deserted & thereby His
Ldp must necessarily have lost at least the Quit Rents of such
Lands which would be considerable, & besides scarcely any
purchasers would be found for Lands in the more populous
parts of the Province & that Fountain of Wealth would be
stopped & His Ldp's Land Office in effect shut up till the
Conclusion of this American War or the Reduction of Fort Du
Quesne & the Ohio Indians should render people's property
more secure. Was His Ldp's Case my own I am sure I should
never have hesitated a moment to contribute my Share with
the people to defend the province & annoy the Enemy, & I
am well convinced that if His Ldp had been on the Spot He
would have suffered his Estate to be much more burthened
than I have done; but as His Ldp might possibly in England
think very differently from what He would in America I am
not without some Apprehensions that this Step which at the
Importunity of his Friends I have taken will be censured as a
culpable Concession & subversive of His Ldp's Rights & pre-
rogatives as I was afraid after what happened in Pensilvania
last Summer between Goverr Morris & his Assembly that our
People would as usual follow the Quakers Example I sent all
their Messages Addresses &c to Mr Calvert, acquainted him
with my Fears & desired His Ldp's particular Instructions for
my Conduct in Case the Assembly of this Province should on
their being pressed to grant Supplies follow the Track that
their Neighbours had marked out for them. Tho I have
received Instructions from My Lord on other Matters since my
Letters got home yet he has favoured me with none on that
Subject, but Mr Calvert in a Letter that I have lately received
from him says" His Ldp does not doubt of your following &
guarding against any Invasion on His Rights similar in your
Defence on His behalf as Governor Morris has done for the
Proprietors of Pensilvania." by this I understand that His
Ldp is absolutely agst my suffering His Estate or property to
be subjected to any Burthen or Tax on any Account or Con-
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Letter Bk. III
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