Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 531

I am now making to your Excellency for a full & fair Hearing
will be thought to come most properly from me in the first
Instance. But whether it was my Case, or the Case of any
other Person, I shou'd humbly apprehend, that the Interposi-
tion of your Excellency wou'd be indispensibly necessary. It
is publickly asserted, that an Officer in His Lordship's Service,
who derives very considerable Emoluments from his Bounty,
is so far from acting with Fidelity to his Interest, that he
insults his Lordship by his Words, defies him by his Actions
and wrests the Government of the Province out of his Hands
by the Fury of a Mob." Is not this, I pray your Excellency, a
Matter proper for the Enquiry of those, who are the Sup-
porters of His Lordship's Government, and the Guardians of
his Prerogatives? Can such a Piece of Information be
properly overlook'd, when it comes from a Person, who is
under every Tie to consult & promote His Lordships Interest,
and holds a Place of great Honour, Profit & Trust in his
Service? Let the Event of this Enquiry be what it will it
must redound to His Lordship's Interest. If the Charges can
be supported, the Man, who has been thus unfaithful to His
Lordship, ought to be discarded from his Service with every
Mark of Disgrace. If on the other Hand, they shou'd appear
to be the Effusions of a Heart, inflam'd by the most rancorous
Malice, and dead to every Feeling of Truth, Honour &
common Justice, his Lordship will have the best Grounds for
judging of the real character of a Man, whom he has honour'd
with his Confidence & Favour, and will be able to make a fair
Estimate of the Merit of his past as well as future Representa-
tions.
The End of this Address to your Excellency is, that an
Examination may be had into this Affair before your Excel-
lency & His Lordship's Council, and that the Rev^d M^r Bennett
Allen, his Lordship's Agent, may have timely Notice of the
meeting, that he may come prepar'd with all his Evidence to
support the Allegations, contained in his printed Paper, above-
mention'd
I shall trouble your Excellency no further at present than to
deny in the most Solemn Manner, that I had any Hand in
writing, advising or publishing directly or indirectly the Piece,
inserted in the Maryland Gazette signed A Parishioner of All
Saints. I further declare that I know not who is the Author
of it, and that the reputed Author is to me an entire Stranger.
As this makes one of M^r Allen's Charges, I just mention it,
that he may come prepar'd with Proofs on that Head also.
I beg your Excellency's Pardon for the Trouble of this long
Letter, and am Sir
Y^r Excellency's mo : obed^t
& very hble Serv^t
Sep^r 26^th 1 768. Walter Dulany