22 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

I had last year to be dissatified with the Conduct of those two
Gentlemen, of whose ruling Passions you seem I think to be
pretty well apprized. It gives me pleasure to find by His
Ldp's Instructions & by your Letter that the Step I took
upon the Discovery of Mr Darnall's fraudulent neglect was
well approved of & I return you Thanks for your friendly
Offices towards D^r Scott in whose favour I hope to receive
His Ldp's Instruction before the Arrears due from M^r Darnall
are paid by M^r Ross. Unable to guess what it is that malice
can have suggested to the Doctor's Disadvantage I cannot
attempt to vindicate him from the Aspersion but confident
am I that his Character will stand the nicest Scrutiny. Never-
theless there may perhaps be still Letter Writers in the Prov-
ince arrogant enough to misrepresent & make as free with
him as that very ingenious & candid Gentleman out of his
great Zeal as he is pleased to intimate for the honour of His
Ldp's Government did with M^r Ridout, when he was advising
his Merchant (whom doubtless it must prodigiously concern) of
that Gentleman's Promotion. Who were the People I wonder
that this sham Friend to His Ldp says were in so great a
Ferment at M^r Ridout' s being appointed a Member of the
Council? Were they His Ldp's Friends or his Enemies?
if the former why then no doubt one should expect that
M^r Ridout was obnoxious to the Rest of the Council, but
sure I am that One alone excepted there is not another who
is not well pleased to have him among them. Were they
then His Ldp's Enemies or those who have distinguish't them-
selves by ther Opposition that were in a ferment at his prefer-
ring to a Seat in the Council & upper House a Person who
according to the letter writers Accounts wants Capacity to
support the Rights of the Proprietor ? Is it probable that such
Persons would except against him on that Account & com-
plain of his not being throughly acquainted with the Constitu-
tion of the Province ? Or can it be supposed that those of the
Inhabitants who having never been Members of either House
could not see enough of M^r Ridout to form any Judgment of
him or his Capacity are the people who were said to be in
such a terrible ferment? But the Truth is that when the
Dulanys found they were no.t to be one Commissary General
& the other Secretary & in short to be gratified in all their
Demands however unreasonable They & those with whom
they were particularly connected resolved to wreak their
Vengeance on him whom they were pleased to consider as an
Interloper (& I am satisfied that had any other Person been
preferred on Col^o Tasker's Death they would have been
equally dissatisfied) a thousand Lies were most industriously
propagated through the Country, even his not having been