538 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Inhabitant of Somerset, who, accompanied by four other Indians,
waits on you for the aforesaid purpose.
All I have to say upon the occasion is, that this nation hath
behaved well during the war, and is at present in strict amity
with the English; and that unless you have particular reasons
for not suffering the remnant of that nation to leave your
country, I see no prejudice it can bring to the publick Affairs.
I am with the greatest respect Sir,
Your Excellency's most Obedient humble Serv^t
Governor Sharpe. James Hamilton

[Sharpe to Calvert.]

Annapolis the 14^th Sept^r 1761. transmitted by.
Sir
Some of our Ships being about to fall down to Virginia
whence it seems Capt Norton Commander of His Majestys
Ship Assistance appointed to convoy them to England is
determined to sail the 20^th Inst notwithstanding the Merchants
here & many Masters of Vessels in the Trade have intreated
him to stay about three weeks longer I embrace the Oppor-
tunity to transmit you a Duplicate of the Letter I addressed
to you the 17^th of last month & to inform you that having a
few Days ago laid before the Gentlemen of the Council who
were in Town viz. M^r Tasker Col^o Lloyd M^r Bordley & M^r
Ridout) that Extract of Col^o Tayloe's Letter to Mess^rs Han-
burys which you were pleased to send me I found them unan-
imously of opinion that if Col^o Tayloe will send his own Ves-
sels for the Ore he ought to pay the Duties which other Non
Residents pay, & that if he was to be exempted on Account of
his having a Plantation & some Negroes in this Province many
of the Tobacco Merchants in England as well as Persons who
live in the neighbouring Colonies & have Lands & Negroes
here may plead the same Reasons for their being exempted
also from the Payment of Duties which they have always
thought themselves obliged to pay by reason of their Residing
out of the Province, for tho Virginia & Maryland are only
divided by a River as Col^o Tayloe alledges yet they are no
less distinct & different Governments than Maryland &
Jamaica. As I wrote to you very fully on this Subject the 2^d
of June 1757 I will take the Liberty to refer you to that Letter
for several Reasons why Col^o Tayloe's Request should not be
granted. Capt Norton having gone out on a Cruize imme-
diately after he arrived this Summer with the Trade I under-
stand that Col^o Lloyd could not learn from him till a few Days
ago whether he would take home some Cash for His Ldp by
which means it seems the Agent must either send it uninsured or