458 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

than the different places of worship oftentimes in the same
parish. It is the" opinion of Gentlemen of the Law that my
Induction in this parish without the consent of the vestry, &
my appointment in the other with the consent of that vestry
will entitle me to the 30 p poll in each parish, & I hope your
Excellency will let them remain upon this footing (the parish
of S^t James's only being voidable, not void & the vestry having
expressly given me the whole 30 p poll) till Easter, or 'till I
hear from my Lord. I should never indeed have Attempted
the consent of this vestry but upon intimation from you, that
probably the lower house of Assembly would catch hold of it,
but this I may venture to say, that my Lord's sense of the
thing must be such that He will not only dissent to any law
that farther abridges his right of patronage, but that seeing
the people so obstinately & unreasonably tenacious of their
powers He will steadily maintain his own, & dissent to any
future law for the division of parishes, which I shall endeavour
to inforce by arguments drawn from the expediency of the
thing, that of keeping up Salaries of different value, to hold
the clergy expectant as well as to reward merit, as it will
reflect a credit on the ruling power, as well as on the clergy,
& as a Parish will be better provided for by a Rector & two
assistants, than by three Rectors, who being more independant
would be less bound to good behaviour. But nothing indeed
can make a Clergyman at all respected in this country but
his income, & even that sometimes fails.
I have receiv'd encouragement from home to apply to your
Excellency for some establishment in his Lordship's Revenue,
in which, as it is design'd to be put under new regulations, it
is apprehended an opening may be made for his Lordship to
provide for a friend of his own, & as it would give me great
satisfaction to have the thing carried into execution under
your Excellency's Direction, if you would be so kind to favour
me, in writing, with any propositions upon the subject, I
should have an opportunity of sending them home in a day
or two. There is a recent instance of a Clergyman bearing a
Secular Employ in the province in the late M^r Sterling, who
was Collector of his Majesty's customs at Chester. Indispo-
sition has prevented my stirring out of my bed-chamber to day,
& will do the same I fear to-morrow.
I am with great respect, Sir,
Your Excellency's most oblig'd & obedient
humble Servant Bennet Alien

P. S. I beg your excellency would not determine a cause
concerning the election of a new Inspector for S^t James's till
the 1^st of next, if it can conveniently be put off, the adjourn'd