150 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

which do not relate to what has been really transacted here
but seem entirely calculated to induce a Belief that the Mary-
land Constitution was originally & still continues more imper-
fect & less favourable to Liberty than the political Constitu-
tions of the other Colonies & I conceive you or any other
Gentleman in London well acquainted with American Affairs
could answer such queries as readily & properly as any of us
can do who are on the Spot nevertheless I will in a seperate
sheet herewith transmitted communicate to you what on a
perusal of the queries occurred to me by way of .answer to
them. As I am of opinion that it would serve no good pur-
pose to enter the Lists with an anonimous Scribler who would
by that means have an Opportunity of throwing Dirt I am glad
you let the queries pass unnoticed & declined making an
Appeal to the Tribunal the Author of them was for setting up:
Should His Majesty's Ministers or the Legislature of Great
Britain think fit to make any particular Enquiry concerning
the Management of Affairs in this Province I flatter myself
the Information I have from time to time given you by Letter
together with the Journals of the Assembly's Proceedings will
abundantly supply Materials for the Justification of the Lord
Proprietary & those who are employed here under him in the
Administration of Government. I perceive by the publick
Papers & Extract you were pleased to send me that the
political Writers who have for some time past been continually
publishing very licentious Pieces are at length likely to meet
with a severe Check. It is with pleasure I inform you that
every thing remains quiet here, but the two inclosed Pamphlets
will shew you that the Case has been much otherwise in a
neighbooring Government, where the people I think seem to
have rather too great a share of the executive power. I like-
wise send you inclosed an Account that was lately presented
to me by one M^r Travers of Dorchester County who as you
will observe has a Claim on His Lordship for Services done
by him at the time the Line was run from Fenwix's Island, as
the Claimant is a Person of Character I cannot doubt the
Accounts being just but I told him I could not without par-
ticular Instructions from home order payment to be made him.
The Acts of Assembly that were made at the late Session
being now published 1 shall transmit Copies of them by one
Captain Dawson who will I am rold sail from Fotowmack for
London in about Ten Days. Inclosed I remit you Bills of
Exchange for the Sum of £124 19 9 being down to the 10^th
of last Month & am with the greatest Respect & Regard S^r
Y^r obliged & most obed^t Serv^t