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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 327
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cation) have not been yet compelled to Account for the Rents
they farmed Colo Lloyd must be much to blame for it is long
since I intimated to him that I was much surprized he delayed
to put their Bonds in Suit & I cannot tell why he should have
so long declined to do so unless he is desirous of always having
some Excuse for not Closing his own Accounts, & with respect
to Mr Milligan to whom I have wrote on the Subject of Colo
Lloyds Complaints against him I am inclined to think that no
Farmer ever made his Payments earlier than he has done, but
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Letter Bk. IV
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as I have already intimated I cannot write fully to you con-
cerning this matter till I receive Mr Milligan's Answer — The
Case of Mr Sullivan (who when T arrived in the Province was
Sheriff of Dorchester County) was thus Richd Cooper was
apprehended & tried for the Murder of a Servant, After he
was taken into Custody he by a Deed bearing Date as I under-
stand before he committed the Fact assigned or pretended to
assign over to one Mr Vining of Dover in the County of
Sussex on Delaware several of his Negroes, who were there-
upon removed from off Cooper's Land to the Plantation of
Vining Upon Coopers being convicted of Man Slaughter
the Sheriff Sullivan seized for the Lord Proprietary all his per-
sonal Estate that could be found in this Province & hearing
that Vining had by some means or other got the Rest into
his Possession he immediately repaired to Sussex & demanded
the Slaves abovementioned, but Vining peremptorily refused
to deliver them up, declared his Resolution to defend his Title
to them & in order thereto immediately retained Mr Chew the
Attorney Genl of Pensa As Mr Sullivan was sensible that if
the Affair should be brought to a Trial in Sussex Court there
was great Probability of the Jury's giving a Verdict in favour
of their Countryman Vining, notwithstanding it should be
made appear that the Conveyance of the Negroes was really
fraudulent, he thought it would be most for His Ldp's Interest
to compromise Matters & to receive a considerable part for
His Ldp rather that run a Risk of Losing the whole & there-
fore after some time he proposed to Vining that he should
keep the Negroes upon paying for 'em the Sum of £245
Pen3 Currency, which Offer Vining accepted but in such a
manner as if he was not induced to do so for want of Proof to
make good his Title but purely to avoid the Trouble &
Expence which a Dispute with the Lord Proprietary if carried
to England by Appeal would be attended with. Thus stood
the Affair for some time when Mr Goldsborough having learnt
from a Person who had been concerned in. Transacting the
Affair between Vining & Cooper that the Conveyance of the
Negroes was certainly fraudulent Colo Lloyd obtained a Writ
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p. 28
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of Replevin & immediately commenced an action agst Vining
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p. 29
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