126 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

which will probably be a Fund of much Contention at future
Sessions I think it my Duty to observe to you that upon my
saying one Day when the last mentioned Bill was on the
Carpet that His Lordship conceived he had a Right to a Fine
on granting Ordinary Lycences M^r Dulany declared that for
his part he had no idea of a Right without a Remedy & that
he could not see how His Ldp could support any Claim or
Pretensions to such an Emolument. Such being the Doctrine
which is generally received in the Province there is not I am
afraid any great probability of the questions being speedily
determined here in a manner advantageous to either His
Lordship or yourself, but you may depend on my adhering to
the Instructions which have been given me with respect to
that matter. In my Letter dated the 10^th of Nov^r I informed
you that in Expectation of the Arrival of Mess^rs Mason &
Dixon before the End of that month the Commissioners
appointed to carry the Articles of Agreement relative to the
Dividing Lines into Execution had agreed to meet at Phila^a
the 30^th of that month, the said Gentlemen having before
that Day notified to us their arrival, Mess^rs Ridout Leeds
Barclay Steuart & one M^r Jenifer a Gentleman of this place
whom as I found there was no probability of our ever pre-
vailing on Colonel Lloyd to attend another meeting I had
appointed in his stead, repaired to Phila^a the morning after
the Assembly broke up. As to myself I had for some weeks
had such a Cough as confined me to my Room which how-
ever I have at length got quit of & M^r Bordley having been
also sometime much indisposed it would have been very
imprudent for either of us to venture so far from home as
Phil^a at such a Season. M^r Dulany having as I intimated to
you some time ago declined acting at all as a Commissioner
which in Truth is a very disagreeable Office & M^r Bordley
having a few Months ago been sensibly affected with a Stroke
of the Palsy I shall before the next meeting substitute his
Brother the Clerk of Baltimore County in his stead so that we
may at all times without difficulty make a quorum & on any
particular occasion have as many Commissioners able to
attend a Meeting as can attend on the part of the Proprietors
of Pennsylvania. As what M^r Ridout took the Liberty to
write to you from Phila^a the 13^th Inst is quite agreeable to my
own Sentiments I need not now repeat them but shall by this
Opportunity send you a Duplicate of the State or Representa-
tion which he then transmitted hoping you will favour me with
your answer relative to the proposition for ascertaining the
Tangent Line as soon as possible, for if your answer does not
come to hand by the 15^th of June next Mess^rs Mason & Dixon
are to go down to the Middle point in order to run up another