256 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

same time would get the Interest annually accruing, which as
the Scheme supposes would in the ten years amount to
between fourteen & fifteen Thousand pounds stg enough with
the Surplus that would remain & a small Addition to be
another Fund for a future Emission at the Expiration of such
ten years. For some Weeks after the Assembly met there
was the greatest harmony between the two Houses, but when
at length the Journal of Accounts was brought on the Carpet
& the Lower House refused to make the Clerk of the Council
the usual Allowance of his Annual Salary from the year 1756
when the last Journal was assented to some pretty warm
Messages passed between the two Houses on the Occasion of
which if they can be transcribed in time I shall by this Con-
veyance transmit Copies to M^r Calvert but doubt whether it
will be in my power to do so, as they are very long & the
Ship just upon her Departure. As I have informed M^r
Calvert what Progress Mess^rs Mason & Dixon have made this
Summer in running the East & West Line, what they are
doing at present & what remains to be done & have also
inclosed him a Copy of the Minutes of the Commissioners
Proceedings at their Meeting the 16th of November I shall
not trouble your Ldp at this time with any thing relative to
that Affair which if a New Commission prolonging the time
allowed for doing the Business to next December arrives here
before April will I hope before this time twelve month be
compleatly finished. His Majestys Sloop the Hawke Capt
Browne having arrived here about three Weeks ago with a
parcel of the Stampt Paper destined for this Province will I
expect remain with us during the Winter for as the Person
appointed to distribute the Stamps in this Province continues
still at New York & the Paper could not be landed here
without great Danger of its being destroyed by the Populace
there being no place of Security in which it could be lodged I
have by Advice of the Council (the Lower House declining to
give me any Advice about it) desired Captain Browne to keep
it on board his Ship till some Instructions shall be sent from
England about the Disposal of it, for as yet I have not for my
part received any Letter from the Secretary of State Board of
Trade or any other Office on the Subject of the Stamp Act
nor any Copy of it. As M^r Calvert will communicate to your
Ldp what I have related to him concerning a Proceeding of
the Justices of Frederick County in a late Case which was
brought before them purposely as I understand to make them
act in violation of the Stamp Law I will not trouble your Ldp
here with a particular Account of it, from that Proceeding &
the Desire of the People that Business shall go on as usual I
am apprehensive that if the Inhabitants of the Northern Colo-