Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 157

tick, with lucid Intervals his quick Return from your Side,
and as quick passing from one Body of Neutrals to another
and making upwards inclined me to stop him, your Excel-
lency will please to signifie your Thoughts and whether it be
proper farther to detain him.
I am with the greatest Respect
S^r your Excellency's very humble Servant
B: Hands.

Which being read it is their Opinion, that he still be
detained in Custody.

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board a Report
made to him by the Justices of Charles County Court of their
having passed Sentence of Death upon Negro Ben the Slave
of a certain Richard Gardiner for a certain ffelony by him
committed, and no favourable Circumstance appearing for
him, it is ordered that Dead Warrant accordingly issue.

At a Council held at the City of Annapolis, on Monday
the 30^th Day of August in the sixth Year of his Lordships
Dominion, Annoque Domini 1756:

Present
His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esquire Governor

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

The
honourable

Benjamin Tasker Esquire
Colonel Charles Hammond
Philip Thomas Esquire

Col: Benjⁿ Tasker
&
Benedict Calvert
Esq^r

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the fol-
lowing Letter.

Albany 20^th August 1756.
S^r
I received last Night Accounts by which I apprehend
that Oswego, with all its' Stores and Ammunition, and the
Train placed there is lost, the Garison made Prisoners, and
our naval power on the Lake destroyed; I must put you on
your Guard against every ill Consequence of such an un-
happy Event, and as you may now expect the Weight of the
French Indian power on your Back, I must caution you to
put your Frontiers immediately in the best posture of De-
fence you are able, as from the Condition and Number of the
Troops left to me when I came to my Command, I can scarce
hope to do more than to resist the ffrench power in these
quarters.

p. 131