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452 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Letter Bk. I.
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Liberty to inclose Extracts of my Letters whereby your Ldp
will see that That is no new Discovery of Mr Jones's but how an
Alteration is now to be made is the only question & Difficulty;
I do not in the least doubt both from what I have myself seen
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P. 213
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& heard that the South Branch ought to have been deemed the
Spring-Head & the Boundary of Maryland tho the Commis-
sioners that were appointed by the Crown to examine it deter-
mined otherwise. The Virginians will most certainly oppose
any Alteration or Resettlement Lord Fairfax is indifferent
& no Survey can at this time be safely made within 80 Miles
of the South Branch by less than a Body of 100 or 200 Men,
What Measures then can be taken to resettle that Boundary to
your Ldp's Satisfaction at present I know not but shall gladly
& readily take any Step that your Ldp shall judge proper or
be pleased to approve of. Whether Mr Jones's Services merit
a greater Reward than the valuable Living he has long held &
enjoyed in Caecil County I submit to your Lordship but think
it my Duty to intimate that I beleive he would never have
requested such a Favour for his Son in Law directly of Your
Lordship if he had not despaired of succeeding with me on
Account of his Past Conduct. What that has been I leave your
Ldp to judge from the inclosed Petition which is copied from
one that Mr Jones & many other such Guides handed about
among their Parishioners & got them to subscribe & present to
their respective Representatives in Assembly during the late
Session, & here I cannot help observing & I hope yr Ldp will
excuse me for it that Mr Jones is not the first Gentn that having
good reason for not apprizing me of his Intention has addressed
& applied himself directly to your Ldp or Mr Calvert for Prefer-
ment, & thereby laid me under great Difficulties on Account
of Promises that I might have made as I think it my Duty
always to obey every Letter or Intimation that has the least
Appearance of a Command or Instruction from either your
Ldp or Mr Calvert. Your Ldp will not I hope doubt my most
punctual Obedience to your Instructions concerning the Act of
Parliament lately made for raising Troops in these Colonies &
Your Ldp will I flatter myself beleive that no Endeavours shall
be wanting on my part to promote His Majesty's Service on
every Occasion. I have been some Weeks at this place with
about 150 Men (raised by Virtue of our late Act of Assembly)
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p. 214
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constructing a Fort & Block-Houses for the protection of the
Frontiers, My presence here will I apprehend be absolutely
necessary till the Work is pretty far advanced all our Men
being raw & undiciplined & all our Officers ignorant of every
thing that relates to Fortifications or Places of Defence,
neither is it without great difficulty that I make them observe
such Regulations & Orders as our Situation makes necessary.
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