no Assembly Proceedings, April 8-May 9, 1757.

L. H. J.
Liber No. 48

May;

missioners for Emitting Bills of Credit, I must inform you, that on
the pth of October last I sent the Report which you then presented
to me, to the Attorney-General, with Orders to sue the Bonds of the
Persons that you complained of in the Address, to which the Report
was annext; and I have been given to understand that he proceeded
against them accordingly. I should be very sorry to find, that any

p. 444

Persons, capable of being Guilty of such a Crime as Pocketing public
Money, have been recommended to Offices in this Government since
I have resided among you: If you know any such, be pleased to
point them out, and you will, by doing so, render them Objects of my
Resentment. I am advised, that the Refusal of any Matters of
Vessels to pay a Duty on Convicts, by them imported into this Prov-
ince, would not justify the Naval-Officers in refusing to Enter them;
and his Majesty's late Attorney-General, the present Lord Mansfield,
has given it as his Opinion, that no such Duty can be levied here.
I think Col. Hammond, who is the only one of the present Com-
missioners of the Loan-Office, that is interested in, or can be affected
by the Judgments referred to in your Address (the Actions against
Messieurs Trippe, Porter, and Bradford, having been commenced
before the other Two were appointed, and long before my Arrival
in this Province) has told me, that as he can make it appear, that
the Money in Question was never paid into the Office, he has appealed
from the Judgments; but I will, on my Return to Annapolis, ex-
amine into the Affair, and give such Orders as shall be agreeable to
Law and Justice. I was lead, by the Extract from the Report before-
mentioned, to think, that the Lord Proprietary's Agent had neglected
to pay the Tax imposed on his Lordship's Manors, Leased, Reserved,
and Demised Lands; but on Enquiry I find, that the Collectors have
really been paid for such Lands, and that such of them as have settled
with the Commissioners of the Loan-Office, have accounted with
them for the same : And I am also informed, that an Entry to that
Effect was made by the Committee in the Report that was returned
to the Upper House. I shall, as you desire, enquire into the Truth
of the Information that has been given you, concerning Turner
Wootton's Bond. And if all the Officers, who are appointed to collect
and receive the Taxes and Duties, imposed by the Acts of Assembly,
which have been lately made in this Province, for his Majesty's
Service, do not render Accounts, and make due Payments, as soon
as the Cause that has occasioned our Meeting at this Place, and
deterred them from coming to Annapolis, is removed, they may
depend on being Prosecuted; and you may rest assured, that I shall
never countenance any Officer who does not diligently and faith-
fully discharge his Duty.

7^th May, 1757. Hor^o. Sharpe.
The House adjourns until 2 of the Clock Afternoon.