334 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. IV

Conditions therein mentioned I embrace the earliest oppor-
tunity to acknowledge my Receipt thereof & to return your
Ldp Thanks for favouring me with it so early that I may com-
municate the Contents to the Gentlemen of the Upper House
before the Affair of the Ordinary Lycences can be again
brought on the Carpet which it will I doubt not during the
Course of the next Session of Assembly which according to
the last prorogation is to begin the 28^th of this Month. I am
also at this time to inform your Ldp that the Loss of M^r Brice
& Col^o Henry two Justices of the Provincial Court who died
lately on the Circuit the Absence of Doctor Steuart from the
Province & the Inability of M^r Darnall & Col^o Hall other
Justices to attend the Provincial Court at this time having
made it highly expedient that a new Commission should issue
I have thereby added to the surviving Justices the Honble
Col^o Hooper of Dorchester County who had been heretofore
in the Commission, M^r James Weems who had for many years
been Chief Justice in Calvert County, M^r Leeds of Talbot
County, M^r Beal Bordley of Baltimore & Major Jennifer who
is now a Resident in this City having upon the Death of M^r
Ross been lately appointed by Col^o Lloyd to act as Deputy
Agent. They are All in my opinion Gentⁿ of Integrity & well
attached to your Ldp's Government & as well qualified as any

I know to adminicter Justice unless some Gentlemen of the

Law could be prevailed on to relinquish their Practice & sit
on the Bench which can never be expected while the Allow-
ance made the Provincial Justices for their Attendance is
little more than sufficient to defray their Expences. The
Naval Office of Pocomoke of the Annual Value of about £50
stg having become vacant by the Death of Col^o Henry & M^r
Leeds having thereupon applied to me for an Appointment to
it I could not help complying with his Request when I con-
sidered how many years he had given his Attendance as an
Assistant & Commissioner in the Affair of the Dividing Lines
having on Account of his Mathematical Knowledge been
desired to do so both by M^r Ogle & Myself, I hope therefore your
Ldp will approve of my Appointment. I have also upon Col^o
Lloyds desiring Leave to resign the Office of Treasurer on the
Eastern Shore a Place of about £20 or £30 a year Value
appointed M^r Hands Treasurer in his stead, Col^o Hooper
having when I offered the Commⁿ to him declined accepting
it. By the Death of Col^o Henry & your Ldp's having never
since M^r Holliday excused himself nominated a Member in
the stead of M^r Key, there are now two Vacancies in your
Ldp's Council & there will probably within a year or two be
other Vacancies for both Col^o Hammond & M^r Cha^s Golds-
borough have been some time in an ill state of Health. As it