504 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. V

Bill for restraining all Beneficed Clergy here from being
absent more than two Months in a year out of their respec-
tive Parishes & for authorizing the Governor together with
such three Clergymen & three Laymen as he may from time
to time choose or appoint to exercise a Kind of Visitorial
Jurisdiction over such Minister as may be accused of any
notorious & scandalous Behaviour, but if such a Bill should
be framed & pass the two Houses I shall for my part decline
assenting thereto till I can know His Ldp's pleasure tho
indeed the Expediency of some Restraint on the Clergy cannot
be denied.

Letter Bk. III

[Sharpe to Hillsborough.]

To Lord Hillsborough. Annapolis 16 June 1768
My Ld
I am now to acknowledge the Receipt of your Ldp's Letter
bearing Date the 5^th of March last together with a Copy
inclosed therein of a Report made the 25 June 1767 to the
Lds Commissioners for Trade & Plantations by His Majestys
Attorney & Solicitor General upon an Act pass't in the Colony
of New Jersey in June 1766 ; which Report I have caused to
be recorded so that it might be known in the Province to be
Their opinion that the Act of the 12^th of Queen Anne Statute
2^d Cap 16 is in force in His Majestys Colonies & Plantations
in America & that so much of the Act of the 4^th of George the
I^st Cap 12^th as declare the 12^th of Queen Anne to be perpetual
extends to America & your Ldp may be assured that due
Regard will be by me paid to such opinion of His Majestys
Attorney & Solicitor Gen^l

Original.

[Rev. Bennet Allen to Sharpe.]

June 21. 1768
Sir
I waited upon your Excellency upon information of a Bill
passing the lower house to establish an Ecclesiastical Com-
mission : As I do apprehend such a Commission to be not
only directly contrary to Act of Parliament, but a direct
infringement of his Lordship's Rights as supreme ordinary
over the church, from whom alone by Letters patents any
Person can exercise any kind of Jurisdiction within this Pro-
vince, & which is moreover a direct attack upon the Liberties
& Properties of the Clergy, not only as Subject to a distinct &
seperate Jurisdiction, but which will reduce them below the
wretched State & Dependance of their Honour's Slaves, I
hope, in the name of the Clergy (some of whose opinions I