274 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Original

[Hamersley to Sharpe.]
S^r
The Expectation of the Important Event to be produced by
Fridays Debates in the Commons having induced M^r Jordan
to Postpone his Departure for a few Days this Letter will
Accompany my last of the 20^th Instant.
And now S^r Give me leave to Congratulate you and all
America upon the opening and almost certain Prospect of a
total Repeal of the Stamp Act. The business was opened on
the 21^st by a Motion from M^r Burke, Private Secretary to the
Marquess of Rockingham (first Lord of the Treasury) and
seconded by M^r Grey Cooper Secretary to the Treasury for
the Committee to Resolve as their last Resolution to Move
the House for leave to bring in a Bill to Repeal the Law: the
opposition was taken up by a Motion from M^r Jenkinson late
Secretary to M^r Grenville to Substitute the words " Explain
and Amend" instead of "Repeal" and after a Debate which
lasted till Two in the Morning it was carried in favor of a
Repeal by 275 against 163. This great Majority seems to
have put the Repeal by that House beyond a doubt & I have
now reason to think it will meet with a more favourable recep-
tion from the Lords than the question has hitherto done some
of the greatest of them thinking a respect due to the Acts of
the Commons & tho' Tenacious of their Sovereignty being
perhaps not Averse to Conciliating Measures & Inclining to
to do that for Expediency which they have Denyed as a
Right. In short I believe your Excellency may depend upon
the Repeal & as I understand, the Bill is to be quickened
thro' both Houses your next Letters will probably bring you
the great and good news. The Resolutions enclosed in my
last with those of the Commons which will now be immedi-
ately Printed in their Votes will probably be thrown into
another Bill that the assertion of the rights of the British Par-
liament may be handed down to Posterity together with their
Indulgence to the Colonies.
M^r Jordan's stay gives me the further opportunity of
acknowledging the Receipt of your Letters of 11 . Nov^r My
Lord very much Approves yo^r conduct respecting Captⁿ
Hawker as in every other Instance during the late delicate
situation and hopes very soon to have it in his Power to wish
you Joy of your Deliverance from so many difficulties. I
have already mentioned to you the fate of the Petition from
the Congress as it was not reced the contents have not Pub-
lickly transpired. You will find by my last that we are before
hand with you in the Account of the Commissioners Proceed-
ings having already received the Nov^r Journal from M^r Penn.
It gives his Lordship very great pleasure to find the Lines