Archives of Maryland, Volume 0009, Page 0342 - Correspondence of Governor Sharpe, 1757-1761

Correspondence of Governor Sharpe, 1757-1761

	342 Correspondence of Governor Sharp?.
Letter Bk. IV	After the Assembly broke up I got Copies of the Aliens Laws that were sometime ago made in Virg^a & N York & which are alluded to in the Protest & laid them together with the Bill which our Lower House had framed before his Ldp's Attorney Gen^l desiring him at the same time to consider them well & then to draw up such a Bill as he should think His Ldp might properly & securely assent to & as might make the Passing any other Aliens Law hereafter unnecessary which you'll perceive was not done by the Bill which the Upper House refused to pass. The Truth is that the Germans in general have always appeared averse to taking the Oaths to the Govern^ts which I think in the present Situation of Affairs it is highly proper they should take & if an Act was to pass for Naturalizing all of them that have died in this Province (as the Bill in question proposed to do) without requiring or directing those of them that are now living among us to qualify themselves for holding Lands by taking the Oaths scarcely one of them would be prevailed on do so; but they would rely that if ever Disputes should arise hereafter about their Titles another Aliens Bill would be immediately passed which perhaps might be then productive of some Confusion especially if it should happen that the Judges of His Ldp's Land Office should have granted Escheats Warrants for any Tracts which such Aliens might have died possess't of. This future Evil you will perceive is provided against by M^r Bord- ley's Draft a Copy of which (marked B) I shall transmit together with Copies of the Virg^a & N York Laws (marked C & D) that you may submit it to His Ldp & obtain his Com- mands for me thereupon which I shall hope to receive before the Assembly meets again as I don't doubt but the Lower
p. 40	House will at the next Session send up again the Bill which they offered in Novem^r last & which the Upper House at that time refused. I cannot find that any such Aliens Act as the One in Question hath been ever passed in Pensilv^a but it has been usual there for the Germans to be Naturalized by par- ticular Act of Assembly whenever they applied to the Legisla- ture & if any Aliens have taken up & sold Lands or died possessed of any the Proprietaries never that I can learn took Advantage of such Persons having not been naturalized nor disturbed those who possess't under their Title. Together with the Papers abovementioned you will find a Petition from the Rev^d M^r Bacon addressed to me which was presented by several Gentⁿ of the Council who Interested themselves in his Behalf & hope His Ldp will be prevailed on to remit his Share of the Tob^o that M^r Bacon has forfeited which as You'll perceive amounts in the whole to 5000^lbs The Clause of the Act of Assembly which Subjects M^r Bacon

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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe, 1757-1761

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