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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 99
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ginia Soldiers are by the late Engagement by Deaths & by
Desertion reduced to 140; 100 of whom the Governor will
order out as a flying Camp to protect the Frontiers of Virginia
this Winter; & the other rendezvous at Wills Creek, whither
our 50 Men (for upon the Receipt of Govr Dinwiddies Lettr I
declined compleating the Company) are also sent to discipline
themselves till there is a prospect of our acting with any proba-
bility of Success, when I propose to render the Company per-
fect which can be done at any time in 3 weeks or a month.
This perverseness of the Virginia Assembly has induced the
Goverr to apply home as I am told some other Governors have
also done for an Act of the British Legislature to be obligatory
upon all the Governts equally, & compel them to contribute
their Quotas for the Defence & Protection of their Properties
& His Majesty's American Dominions against any intruding
Enemies. If it should be thought proper to bring in a Bill for
that purpose the next Session of Parliament it is possible
if not probable that one of these Methods might be pro-
posed for raising a Fund in the several Provinces. By
imposing an equal Poll Tax or By a Duty on the Importa-
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Letter Bk. I.
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tion of Spirituous Liquors & Wines or an Excise on such as
may be either imported to or made on the Continent which
indeed I think the most preferable; Or By a Stamp Duty or
something similar to it on Deeds & Writings if such a Pro-
posal as this last mentioned should be made, it would be well
to guard against any Words being incerted in the Bill, that may
be construed to affect Patents for Land; & it would I conceive
be proper for the Law to order the Enrollment of all Deeds of
Bargain & Sale & to invalidate all Deeds of Trust unless they
be also properly stamped & enrolled as well as Deeds of Sale
in the Provincial or County Clerks Office, where I apprehend
the Stamp or Seal ought to be lodged. Deeds of Bargain &
Sale are indeed ordained to be enrolled already by a Law of
this Province passed in 1715: but to avoid the Loss that would
attend a Non-Enrollment & at the same time to excuse them-
selves from an Alienation Fine to his Ldp: Deeds of Trust are
many times given by the Inhabitants which are equivalent to a
Deed of Sale enrolled & moreover can be given or received
without the Parties satisfying the Fine due to His Ldp where
Lands are thereby conveyed: This is an Evil which will never
I am afraid be provided against by a Maryland Assembly but
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p. 86
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would be easily prevented by such an Act of Parliament which
would in that respect render his Ldp some Benefit & Service.
These Hints I have taken the Liberty to submit to you in Case
the British Legislature should think proper to interfere in this
American Contention more than it has hitherto done — & I beg
leave also to ask your Sentiments (upon the Supposition that it
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p. 87
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