Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 291

found in the Parliam^t And we greatly fear that the want of it
will certainly produce one of these two fatal Consequences,
either that the Repeal of this Law will in Effect annul &
Abrogate all other Laws and Statutes relating to our Colonies,
& particularly the Acts that restrain or Limit their Commerce
of which they are most Impatient, or if we should hereafter
Attempt to Enforce the Execution of those Laws, ag^st their
will, & by Virtue of an Authority w^ch they have dared to
Insult with Impunity & Success, that Endeavour will bring
upon us all those Evils & Inconveniencies to the fear of which
we now Sacrifice the Sovereignty of the Realm, And this at a
time when the strength of Our Colonies, as well as their
Desire of a total Independence on the Legislature & Govern-
ment of their Mother Country, may be greatly augmented, &
when the Circumstances & Dispositions of the other Powers
of Europe may render the Contest far more dangerous &
formidable to this Kingdom.

Bedford
Coventry
Bridgewater
Dunk Halifax
Buckingham
Wentworth
Sandwich
Marlborough
Trevor
Ker

Leigh
J: Bangor
Waldegrave
Aylesford
Gower
Dudley & Ward
Powis
Weymouth
Scarsdale
Temple

Lyttelton
Eglintoun
Suffolk & Berks
Abercorn
Vere
Bolingbroke
W: Gloucester
Tho^s Bristol
Ferrers
Grosvenor

Hyde
Ch^s Carlisle
Townshend.

[Protest of the Minority in the Lords against the passage of
the Bill repealing the Stamp Act.]

Die Lunae 17^th Martij 1766.
Hodie 3^a: Vice lecta est Billa, Intitled An Act to repeal
An Act made the last Session of Parliam^l Intitled An Act
for Granting & Applying certain Stamp Duties & other
Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America
towards further defraying the Expences of defending pro-
tecting & securing the same, & for Amending such parts
of the several Acts of Parliam^t relating to the Trade & Reve-
nues of the said Colonies & Plantations, as direct the manner
of determining & recovering the Penalties and Forfeitures

therein mentioned.

After Debate
The Question was put Whether this Bill shall pass.
It was Resolved in the Affirmative.
Dissentient
I^st Because We think that the Declaratory Bill we passed
last Week cannot possibly Obviate the growing Mischiefs in

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