Correspondence of Gov. Horatio Sharpe, 1754-1765. 507

pointment of such other Trusties Necessary with Him, &
they must take real care who they Trust M^r Hunt is Age'd
the transaction has been all done by himself, had it falen
into the Hands of Sam^l Hyde or M^r Crockshank's Trustees
as they were Bankrupts the Province might have been short
off. M^r Hunt recofnds the Mess^rs Hanburys Sufficient
People. The Ship sailing, Not being able to Obtain from
M^r Attor^y Gen^l his opinion concerning the Maryland Con-
troversys of Debate w^h will not be had till after Christm^s
Occasions My Lord's Resolutions thereon postpon'd, so soon
as Obtain'd Mess^rs Penns & he are to have a meeting for an
agreed Instruction to each Province, The Merch^ts on Change
make great Exclamation ag^t the L: H. attempt of Oppression
by Tax Effecting them. No dispute a Tax on Lord Balti-
more's Manors & reserv'd Lands to be Taxd, But a Tax on
his Quit Rents, he has a peculiar Exemtion, for in the year
1651 an Express Law passed (as I am informed) by which
it was Enact'd, that all Charges arising from time to time
by defence of the Province ag^t any Invasion or any Emer-
gency or ag^t any Domestick Insurrection or Rebellion ag^t
the Publick Peace or the Goverm^t Establish'd under the Lord
Proprietor & His Heirs Lords & Proprietaries of Maryland,
sho^d be discharged by the Inhabitants thereof. This Law to
the Purpose of Exempting Lo^d Baltimore's Quit-Rents is in
force Now, for in the Repealing Act of 1704 there is an
Express saving of all claims under the former Acts & no
other Act can be pretended to Effect the Act of 1651 2^re is
this Act among the Acts of Assembly return'd to the Board
of Trade, if not send it. Its required by Law Young M^r
Ogle's Age not mention'd in the Papers sent. The year
near closing No returns from you half a year to me S^t
Michael last.

p. Some Months ago an Article was put in the London
Chro: that the Supply was not grant'd in Maryland by reason
the Proprietor Estate was not be Tax'd the answ^r pub^d that
it was void of truth, That his Landed Estate was Tax'd in
Equal proportion with His Tenants Upon w^h a reply was
publish'd of Queries Impertinent & ridiculous not worthy
answ^r tho' easy of confute I mention this as I suppose it will
make an eclat in Maryl^d The supposed Author is M^r Frank-
lyn by corresp^dt from Mary^ld.

[Cecilius Calvert to Horatio Sharpe]

London March 17^th 1759.
Sir

Inclosed is his Lord^ps Instructions of this Date Rece^d yo^r
Copys of Depositions relative to the passage of Vessels thro'