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Uprightness; I had not, as I observed to the Lower House at that
Time, had long Experience of him, and tho' I did soon afterwards
appoint another Gentleman Attorney-General in his Stead, yet I was
not induced to take that Step by any Suspicion of Mr. Darnall's being
such a Person as ought not to be Trusted; and, Gentlemen, if they
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L. H. J.
Liber No. 51
May 5
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by whom the Lower House of Assembly was at that Time, or hath
been since composed, entertained such a Suspicion, I cannot help
thinking they used their Constituents, as well as the Lord Proprietary
and Myself, very ill, in not advising me of it; for, had they done so,
we should not probably have suffered the Loss that is now likely to
fall on us by Mr. Darnall's Failure. But indeed I cannot prevail on
myself to believe that (however averse some People may have been
to his continuing Attorney-General, from an Apprehension that he
might be inclined to shew Favour to Persons of the Romish Per-
suasion) either your Predecessors, or You, apprehended any In-
convenience would arise to the Public from Mr. Darnall's acting
in the Capacity of Naval Officer, much less that he was likely to
embezzle the Country's Money; otherwise I cannot account, Gentle-
men, for your suffering so many Sessions to pass (as will I suppose
cost the Province more than Twenty Thousand Pounds) since he
was appointed Naval Officer, without once calling for his Accounts
(which ought to have been lodged with your Clerk) and inspecting
the Trustees Account, to see whether he had punctually performed
his Duty, and in particular whether he had remitted to the said
Trustees in London, the Money which you knew he must have col-
lected by Virtue of the Laws of this Province. I say, Gentlemen, that
if your Predecessors, or You, were apprehensive that his Conduct
was not upright and just, I cannot account for yours, since I cannot
suppose you connived so long at his Proceedings purely that you
may have an Opportunity of saying at this Time, that he owes the
Country a much larger Sum, over and above the Penalty of his
Office Bond, than I fear will ever be paid.
As it would be, Gentlemen, very unjust to take Occasion, from
the Misbehaviour of One, or of Two Officers, to insinuate any Thing
to the Disadvantage of the Rest, I flatter myself you will, when you
speak of Mr. Darnall's Conduct, avoid general Reflections, and dis-
tinguish the Innocent from the Guilty, being satisfied that none of
you imagine any personal Favour or Attachment induced me to
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p. 415
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continue that Gentleman so long in Office: I shall be sorry if
what you have said should lead others to think so, or to suppose, that
in bestowing Places of Trust or Profit, I have been influenced by
such Motives rather than by a Regard for the Good of the Com-
munity, which you may be assured I shall always keep in View:
And if at any Time hereafter, while I may reside among you, it
should happen that an unworthy Person, ( for I must often rely on
the Recommendation of others) be appointed to an Office, you may
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p. 416
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