Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 267

a Gentⁿ of considerable Credit as a Merch^t & well versed in
Acco^ts & as such his Lordship has desired me to Introduce
him to yo^r acquaintance
The Commission he brings is of two Sorts, One for the Sale
of his Lordships Manors or reserved Lands, the other for the
auditing of M^r Loyd's past Accounts & the future Regulation
of that Office, both alike Delegated to your Self in conjunc-
tion with M^r Dulany & M^r Jordan by Separate commissions
and Instructions.
In the Proposed Sale of the reserved Lands his Lordship
has particular Satisfaction in adopting a Plan Originally Sug-
gested by M^r Dulany's kind Advice which he hopes he has
not mistaken, the Power was meant to be as extensive and the
Instructions as little restrictive as the Case would admit, his
Lordships Confidence being entirely placed in the Prudence
and Disinterestedness of his Commissioners.
The Stamp Act has undergone much Discussion and Alter-
cation in both Houses where it is made the Political Tub &
Tryal of Skill between the Contending Partys each of whom
have alternately Claimed the Royal Support & Countenance
for the Repeal or Enforcing of the Law in consequence of w^ch
the Ministry have one day carried their question in the Com-
mons by a large Majority & in two days after have been
defeated in the Lords (where the Strength of opposition lyes)
tho' by small Numbers. The Perusal of Papers & Examina-
tion of witnesses being now Closed the Business is brought
near to a Crisis & to Morrow is understood to be the Day for
Agitating the Question in the Commons whether Leave shall
be given for bringing in a Bill to Repeal the Law or not and
from a late Explicite Declaration of the Crown in favor of the
Repeal there seems a prospect of a considble Majority for the
Affirmative. Still I apprehend the ground will be fought
.Inch by Inch with great Obstinacy and in the Lords perhaps
w^th no great Inequality. But Magna est Veritas, and I Trust,
Praevalebit.
Enclosed I send you the Resolutions of the Lords & those
of the Commons are nearly the same. The great Struggle
was upon the first Proposition asserting the universal Sover-
eignty of the British Legislature over all her Colonies in all
cases whatsoever and upon Incerting the word Require in the
fourth Resolution instead of the word Recommend with w^ch it
was first Introduced by the ministry. The Principal Champion
in the Lords for America was Lord Camden, late Lord Chief
Justice Pratt who objected to the generalites of the first
Proposition "in all cases whatsoever" and tho' he did not
Move a new question or any Exception to that Proposed yet
he Laboured a distinction in the case of Internal Taxation