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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 443
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Bills of Excha to the Islands for a great Part of the Com-
modities we get from them. Had those Vessels which have
been employed in that Hispaniola Trade carried Provisions
thither from Philaa & other Places perhaps more might have
been urged against it but I have heard that this has not been
the Case & as the Act of Parliament which was made two or
three years ago forbidding the Exportation of Grain from this
Continent to any neutral Ports in a manner put an End to the
greatest Branch of Business which had been before carried on
here, I mean in the Northern Colonies the Merchants were at
a Loss how to employ their Vessels & themselves till they fell
into the Trade you condemn. I ask your Pardon for troubling
you with my Sentiments on this Subject which you may prob-
ably think appears to me in a wrong Light, perhaps it does,
& I do not for my part know but the Trade that has been
carried on might be contrary to Law. however it is said that
some Lawyers are of a different opinion. I think myself
obliged to you for the Civilities you were pleased to shew
those Maryland Gentn who you say dined with you; Two of
them, I mean Mr Key & Mr Plater were before they went to
England Members of the Lower House of Assembly, & as
such opposed as far as was in their Power those who endeav-
oured to render my Administration uneasy, the first of them
is at the Temple where I believe he intends to reside three or
four years, after which time he will in all probability make a
good Figure in Maryland, for tho he may perhaps appear a
little awkward to you at present having seen little of the
World he is allowed to have good Parts & I am pleased to
find that he has represented to His Father (for whom I have
a great Regard) & to others of his Friends here the Lord Pro-
prietary in a better Light than others have done who have been
much favoured by His Ldp & pretend to be well acquainted
with his Capacity & Principles. The other two Gentlemen
that dined with you were Roman Catholicks. Mr Carroll I
never saw he having been in France many years & the others
Errand home or in Europe was to carry his Children to some
College in Germany where he has a Relation that is a Jesuit.
I found no Letter from Ld Albermarle inclosed in yours from
whence I conclude he promised to send you one for me but
that you had not received it when you closed Your Letter.
It gives me much pleasure to hear that His Ldp is taken into
some Degree of Favour, I wish he may long continue so.
It was sometime ago confidently reported here that Ld Balti-
more had a Tendre for one of the Miss Bladens which indeed
I was sorry to hear because it boded no Good to myself,
I suppose if that Match had taken Place my Stay here would
have been very short, but whether it is to be short or of long
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Letter Bk. III
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