544 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. V

for M^r Allen as his Friend & to put him upon a Footing of
Independance & that is the Length His Ldp means to take
him & desires it may be so understood without entering into
further particulars." Now upon considering what had pass't
between us with regard to M^r Allen Could I expect to be told
in your Letter dated the 18^th of July last that "His Ldp was
surprized & displeased at the hasty Appointment of M^r Allen
to the sole Exercise & Administration of so Capital a Depart-
ment. He always desired (say you) such an Establishment
for M^r Allen as might place him upon an independant Footing
& if he could not proceed sufficiently in his Ecclesiastical
Walk that a Secular Employ might be found for him, such as
a Share in the Commissary's Office, the Keeper of the West-
ern Roll, Naval Officer, or the like, which were repeatedly
pointed out by my Letters both to you & him, but His Ldp
never entertained the least Imagination of Conferring the
first Employ in the Province, an Office of all others the most
interesting to himself which required an intimate Knowledge
of the Country & of every Law & every Branch of the
Revenue arising within it & the greatest Skill & Experience
in Accounts & which he was at the same Instant recovering
from the Confusion & Irregularities which had crept into it
from long neglect & Inattention upon a Stranger newly
come into the Country (however he might be attached to him)
in preference to all his antient Tenants many of whom he is
satisfied are possess't of All the Qualifications requisite for
the Employ, much less did he mean to turn M^r Lloyd out
abruptly but to leave it to him to make it his own Act & part
civilly, an Event His Ldp was taught by your Excellency's
Letter of the 9^th of Feb^ry to expect about Michaelmass next " —
After being told that His Ldp had destined M^r Allen to the
Commissary's Office & was chagrined at my having appointed
M^r Dulany to succeed M^r Goldsborough, Could I conceive
that His Ldp or you had any Objection to his filling a Capital
Department ; tis true you did mention the Naval Office of
Potuxent but not till after Col^o Plater was appointed, & you
particularly pointed out the Office of Rent Roll Keeper as
one you apprehended might be acceptable to him, & had you
stop't there I should have known what I had to do, but when
you proceeded " and to That or any other now vacant or
which may become so either in Consequence of any Resigna-
tion of M^r Lloyd or of any new Regulations to be proposed
by the Commissioners or by any other Accident His Ldp
desires & expects M^r Allen may be immediately promoted &
the better it is & the sooner it reaches him His Ldp will be
the better pleased &c " Could I comprehend your Meaning
to be that in Case Col^o Lloyd should choose to resign the