Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 459

court is the 8^th so that there is time enough. And if it should
be said that the vestry here refus'd me this consent, 1 beg you
would not believe it. there were but 3 present, the law
requires a majority of 3. So I did not put it to the vote.

[Sharpe to Alien.]

To the Rev^d M^r Bennet Alien.
Nov. 26. 1767.
Sir
The Contents of the Lett/ you were pleased to send me last
night give me perhaps as much Concern as some of the
Matters therein mentioned appear to have given to yourself.
Since you are notwithstanding the objection made to your
proposal by some of the Vestry of this Parish desirous to
continue on your present Footing both here & in S^t James's
You may depend I shall make no Alteration till I can be
favoured with farther Instructions from His Lordship which as
I have before intimated will be a Law to me but at the same
time I am very apprehensive that M^r Worthington M^r Johnson
or some other Assembly Man of the Same Way of thinking
with them will at the next Session make a Stir about the
Affair & perhaps have Influence enough to get some Resolves
passt in the Lower House that may have Weight with a Jury
in case your Claim to the Thirty p poll in both Parishes should
come into question & be calculated to bring an odium not
only on you & Myself, but on His Lordship also. As you
seem to lay your Disappointment almost entirely at M^r Dulanys

Door I will the first opportunity speak to him on the Subject,

tho I don't suppose any thing I shall say will make him change
his Sentiments, but could you obtain his Brothers opinion in
favour of your Scheme it would probably have much more
Weight with him than that of any other Gentleman of the Law
you could advise with & if I remember you told me when you
ask't for the Letter of Lycence that you had previously advised
with M^r Dulany. With regard to your Request for an Appoint-
ment to some Office in His Lordship's Revenue I can only say
that if the Gentleman who has at present the Management &
Care thereof should resign very soon I shall not take upon
me to appoint another Agent without consulting the other
Commissioners who have been impowered together with me
to examine & settle the Agents Accounts to this time but it is
I think likely that His Ldp will on Receipt of our Report
Himself nominate a Successor or Successors to Col^o Lloyd.
I advise you therefore to make Application to His Lordship
himself & if in Consequence thereof He is pleased to consti-
tute you either Agent or Keeper of the Rent-Roll I shall for

Letter Bk. III