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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 429
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Counties at once for Instance in Novr next & Writts were to
be at the same time issued for a general Election none of those
on whom it should be thought fit to Confer the Sheveralties
could sit in the Lower House for they are disqualified by Act
of Assembly, All then that could be done would be to promise
One of the Representatives for each County that he shall be
appointed a Sheriff at the Expiration of three years in Case
he does during that Term Vote & behave in the House after
such a manner as shall be approved of; I will suppose then
for Argument's Sake that by this means fourteen of the
Members are attached to the Interest of the Ld Proprietary,
tho as I have already hinted this could not easily be done
because among the four Members that are sent from some of
the Counties there is not one capable of Executing the Office
of Sheriff; Can you think it possible to secure as many more
by telling them that if they can keep their Seats in the House
during six Years they shall then be taken Notice of. for my
own Part I am convinced most of them would laugh at any
one that should give them such a Hint, & had much rather
enjoy the Satisfaction & pleasure they have in Sitting in the
House than the hopes of holding an Office for three years
under the Govern' at so distant a Period & afterwards sink
into Contempt, not to mention the Risk they would run of
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Letter Bk. IV
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being rejected by the People three years before their Expecta-
tions could be gratified with the Sheriffs Offices for having
shewn too much Attachment to the Governt during the first
three years after they were permitted to entertain such Ex-
pectations. By what hath been already urged I think you
will be convinced that the Offices which His Ldp or His
Lieut Governor hath the Disposal of are much too few for
them to secure a Majority in the Lower House of Assembly
by that means alone, for my own Part I am well satisfied
that however plausible the Scheme proposed in Your Letter
might appear in Theory it never can be effectually car-
ried into Practice. Was it even possible by such a Scheme
to secure a Majority in the Lower House for one Ses-
sion it would then fail for after a Person had obtained
an Office by espousing the Proprietary's Interest he could
have no Chance of being again elected & so in Nine Years
the Lieutt Governor would be so far engaged to Such as had
been in the Assembly that he would not have even one Office
in his Disposal to bestow on them that should be then there,
since a Promise once made is to be inviolably kept. That a
great Influence hath at times been gained in the British House
of Commons by such means is certain but it cannot be thence
inferred that the same might be easily done here. Let it be
considered how many hundred Offices Civil & Military are in
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p. 117
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