Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 113

[Sharpe to Loudoun.] Dec. 22^d 1757
My Ld
I am sorry to inform y^r Ldp that the Gentlemen of our
Lower House of Assembly would not be prevailed on to make
any Alterations in the Bill which they had prepared for the
Support of 300 men to range on the Frontiers of this Prov-
ince 60 miles on this side Fort Cumberland & that I have
been at length obliged to put an End to the Session. When
all their other Business was dispatched they were pleased to
present the inclosed Address & to desire me to send it to your
Lordship together with a Copy of their Bill in full Confidence
that your Ldp will be thereby convinced of their Zeal &
earnest Desire to promote His Majesty's Service as their
Clerk was ordered to deliver me a Copy as soon as possible I
declined writing to your Ldp till it was finished but I imme-
diately dispatched an Express to Col^o Stanwix to advise him
of what had happened that he might take proper measures for
the future preservation of Fort Cumberland I have likewise
ordered a Company of Militia to Fort Frederick & have three
more ready to march upon the Return of my Express from
Lancaster. As the Gentlemen in the Close of their Address
intimated to me that nothing I could say would induce them
to proceed on any Business at that time I did not think it
worth while to protract the sessions an hour purely to give it
a particular answer especially as I must in doing so have been
led to make some Remarks on their Conduct that would have
given them great Offence (as I well knew from Experience)
but could not at such a time be productive of any good Con-
sequences. Your Ldp will perceive what a Use they have
made of Part of a Letter which I laid before the late Lower
House of Assembly about 6 months ago when I was pressing
them to grant a Sum of Money for building a strong Fort at
the Confluence of the two Branches of Potowmack about 15
miles on this side Fort Cumberland. The Gentⁿ of that House
seemed convinced of the Expediency of such a Forts being
built tho they declined giving any Money for that Purpose &
I beleive every Body beside those that compose our present
House will think that such a Step or proposal would be at
this time more reasonable than to give up a Fort that is
already built & a Tract of Country 60 miles in Extent to His
Majesty's Enemies by a Law. As the Gentⁿ of the Upper
House apprehended that they were invidiously & unjustly
refected on in the abovementioned Address. They thought
it incumbent on them to resent such a proceeding in as pub-
lick a manner; & therefore desired me to present an Address
of theirs to your Lordship together with the other And