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Letter Bk. IV
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next to grant Tavern Lycences & for retailing both Wine &
Spirit I should be very glad to know whether your Ldp on
that Consideration would make any Alteration in your Instruc-
tion & whether if the Assembly does nothing therein I am as
your Ldp's Lieut. Governor to charge any Fee & what Fee
for such Lycences as may be applied for whether I may refuse
Lycence to any Persons who may not be thought orderly &
regular in their Lives, & whether I may previously to my
granting Lycences to such as shall apply require Security of
them for the keeping good Rule & Order in their Houses
which in my opinion is very proper to be done, tho it seems
some people think I must have the Trouble of granting the
Lycences without any Fee or Consideration, & have no Right
to refuse a Lycence to any Person who may apply for it how-
ever disorderly & reprobate such Person might be. There is
I believe a Law in almost every Province but this for Regulat-
ing Ordinaries, impowering the Governor to grant & to take
a Fee for granting the Lycences, & also to take Bond with
Security for keeping good Rule & Order, & methinks it is
but reasonable that the same Mode of proceeding should be
followed in this province, however I submit the same to your
Ldp's better Judgment & shall punctually observe any farther
Instruction relative thereto which your Ldp may be pleased to
send me. I have communicated to Colo Lloyd your Ldp's
Orders in favour of Solomon Holton, & the Son of the Revd
Mr Harrison deceased which will be duly performed, & I
think your Ldp's Kindness in those Instances well bestowed.
As I have under Cover to Mr Calvert transmitted some late
Gazettes which have been published in Philaa your Ldp will
see what are the Sentiments of People in the Northern Colo-
nies about the Acts of Parliament lately passed restraining the
Trade of & imposing a Tax on the Inhabitants of the Colonies
& I have likewise inclosed a Copy of some Resolves that were
made by the Virginia Assembly on Occasion of the Stamp
Act: Your Ldp will naturally conclude that in this Province
People are also much disgusted on the same Account, espec-
ially as a Notion had been entertained by many that Maryland
was by its Charter particularly exempted from all Impositions
except what should be laid by the Assembly, but I flatter
myself that their Warmth will soon abate & that there will be
no opposition to the Acts being carried into Execution, tho
the Lawyers I think in general are most violent in their Out
Cries against it. Your Ldp has long ago heard that a Peace
is at length finally concluded with all the Indians, which we
flatter ourselves will be lasting notwithstanding there is a
Rumour that some of the Indians about Detroit are meditat-
ing another attack on the Garrison at that Post. As to the
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