222 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk.III

[Sharpe to Gage.]

To General Gage. Annapolis the 6 Sept^r 1765
Sir
Your Excellency will 1 hope excuse the liberty I am now
taking in making known & introducing to you M^r Hood the
Person by whom this will be presented to you when you know
my Motive for doing so. Happening to be in London at the
time when the Act of Parliament for laying a Stamp Duty in
these Colonies was pass't some Friends of his were pleased
to recommend him for the Office of Distributor of the Stamps
within this Province which he not apprehending that the hold-
ing such Office would render him more obnoxious to his
Countrymen than any other Office under the Crown was glad
to accept but on his Arrival in the Province about a Fortnight
ago he was treated with Contempt by many of his former
Acquainance & hath since been so much terrified by the Pro-
ceedings of a Mob in this Place who met last Monday night &
pulled down an uninhabited House of which he had taken a
Lease & was about to repair that he does not think it safe for
him at present to remain here tho I offered him the protection
of my own House, but is advised by his Friends to keep out
of the Way of Insults till the popular Clamour & Resentment
of his Countrymen shall abate. If therefore he should resolve
to leave the Province & repair to New York I flatter myself
Your Excellency will give him Your Countenance & Protec-
tion while he may choose to stay there. As so great an
Outcry has been made in these Parts of His Majesty's Domin-
ions against the Stamp Act that there is reason to apprehend
the People in general will endeavour to oppose or obstruct the
Execution of the Act I am afraid that an Attempt will be made
to burn the Stamp't Paper as soon as it arrives here, nor do I
think it will in such Case be in my power to prevent it unless
Your Excellency can order a Detachment of the Kings Troops
hither to guard it, & to assist in suppressing any Insurrection
which might happen. With the greatest Regard, I am &c.

Letter Bk. IV

[Sharpe to Baltimore.]

To Lord Baltimore. Annapolis the 10^th Sept^r 1765.
My Lord
Since 1 did myself the honour to write to Your Ldp the 15^th
of last Month an Affair has happened here of which I think it
my Duty to advise Your Ldp & also to acquaint one of His
Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State therewith. As I have
already intimated as much to Your Ldp or M^r Calvert It
would be unnecessary now to repeat that ever since the Inhab-