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

Cannonading they silenced the Land Batteries, Landed the
Troops & enter'd the City not annoyed by the Enemy, the
Gov^r Inhabitants & Negroes, having retired into the Moun-
tains, great destruction to the Houses & Goods. The Jour-
nal^ & proceedings of the Assembly & all the Public Papers of
the Province have been before the Attor^y Gen^l deliver'd him
before Christmas, the Multiplicity of his Buisness has not
afforded him Leizure to his answer to My Lord relative he
promises soon it shall be & that he will make Amends in his
Correct Care of his particular Answer, w^h I will transmit
you by the first Opportunity. My Lord has Considered on
the Petition of the Mayor and Recorder &c^a Presented you
by the Corporation & City of Annapolis he says the Cir-
cumstance of the Case is Extraordinary, he bids Me acquaint
you & that you will at proper time make known to the said
Corporation, that he will support & defend the Corporation
in all its Rights & Priviledges agreeable to its Royal Charter,
the Attempt upon the Charter is no improper Instance, first
for the Corporation to Appeal to the Proprietor with Remove
of Appeal to the King & Council for Redress, it will open
who are the oppressors & that infringe & violate Rights &
Priviledges the proceed^g is to be Avoided if possible, if
avoidance can't prevent, My Lord must support & maintain
the Action of Defence & Appeal, here is a Report that the
Maryl^d Assembly has Laid a Duty on Iron Bar. Persons
have been with Me I told them I knew of no such Duty. I
ask'd, what if then it was? they said it wo^d be great dis-
couragm^t on the Infancy of a Public Good. I have a Petition
to you from My Brother in Law Christ^r Crouse of the
County of Yorkshire, on Behalf of Joseph Nicholson in
Chester Town Maryland, who prays, the favour of being
Appoint'd Sheriff Officer on a vacancy, if you think him
sufficient. Y^r Choice of him will be gratefully Acknowledged
by Y^r real H^ble Serv^ts here. My Lord desiers you'l transmit
an Authentick Copy of the Law of 1651 & Poll Tax in 1661.
I have try'd to prevail on My Lord to support the Charge
in Case of Accident relative to Contention that may happen
to the Naval Officers Con^g the Levy of the Duty on Convicts,
he says he will not, That the Act & its Letter stand on its own
Basis. It has been with difficulty the raising the 6 Millions &
half this year for supply at 3 1/2 p^r 6^t 3 1/2 p^r Cen^ts at 85^dist
discovers the Money Lenders next year will have advance
Interest at least 4 p^r C^t Avoid all Appeals from the Province,
Maryland has no favour in the Eye of the Administration.
I'm told M^r Hamilton of Pensilvania is appoint'd Gov^r