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

Office (de corpore Politico) employed to procure Peace &
maintain Amity between Man & Man, may safely come &
go; & the means thereunto (such are these Men compre-
hended) Discord by all means to be avoided. The Ground-
less discontent in the State here is prodigious! proceeding
from His Majesty's Benevolence to the Earl of Bute, one of
his Chiefs in the Train of his youth, & for whose obsequious
Behaviour His Majesty has thought him worthy in Rank &
Abilities to constitute him at the Head of the Treasury. He
being radically Scotch & of small comune with the English,
His High step up, has caused much murmur, Discontent &
very abusive writings Published, and scandulous Prints ex-
hibited. It cannot be His Lord^p'^s concern in the Peace (that
has caused such abuse) it seems the Best Peace Great Brit-
ain ever made, advantagious; yet much Discord is rise,
whether 'tis from the Quick turn out of the Old Adminis-
tration & their several followers, or his Lord^ps too much
incline by preferm^t to the Scotch, or by Admittance of Tories
into the Council & Places, or by Extention of Excise on
Cyder I shall not say the Juxta of Matters that caused his
sudden resignation of all Power & Employ a few days before
the prorogation of the Sessions of Parliament, w^h he did.
His Majesty the Best of Kings, vexed Doubts Action; 'tis
said has offered to reinstate some, they have refused. I
instance this as proof of the instability of Power attendant
on Sovereinty.

I desire y^r trouble of favour, to turn to his Lord^p'^s Instruc-
tions with you dated the 16^th of Dec^r 1756. relative to that
part concern^g the Act of 1704 the support of Goverm^t, as the
several Laws that have been relative are upon Record in the
Province, 'tis of consequence to know here, if the citation of
them in that Instruction is right; as to the Dates; & y^r
opinion is desired upon the Argum^ts propounded on that
Subject & matter therein. And likewise the favour of y^r
knowledge, concern^g the 14^teen pence p^r Ton on Ships, whether
the Evidence of the Division of that affair before W^m the 3^d
Try'd, is upon Record in the Province ?

I observe in the Journalls of the Lo. House Viz. A Bill
intituled an Additional Supplementary Act to the Act, In-
tituled an Act, for Quieting Possessions & Enrolling Con-
veyances & securing Estates of Purchasers "It will pass
here, provided the Tenour of the Bar acknowledges & ascer-
tains his Lord^ps Alienation Fine to be paid at Enrollm^t ac-
cording to the Patent, his right Held here is indubitable, his
Lord^p here by remove, if given ag^t him in the province is
advised to have recourse to the King in Council, if the Bill's