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Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 183
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a little doubtfull that he has been induced to return me such an
Answer by some who being disappointed themselves have
persuaded him that it is not His Ldp's Desire or Expectation
that Mr Jennings's Successor should make you a more reason-
able Return & Remittance than he did while he remained in
that post. Since the Receipt of yr kind Letter I cannot
divest myself of all suspicion that Collo Tasker dealt a
little unfairly with me some time since when he told me
in Answer to a hint that I dropt to him that he had made no
application at all for the Succession of the Secretary's Office.
I need not I presume intimate to you what he would expect
was His Ldp to appoint him to that place, that you will guess
& determine thereon as you shall think proper. You speak
in Your Lettr as if you had sent your Deputation to Colo Plater
but as I could not find any such Parchment or Paper among
the Letters I am apt to think it was not inclosed in the Box.
The best terms that I could bring him to consent to were as I
above observed to pay one fourth of all the Fees annually &
the like proportion of wf money or Presents he should receive
on the nomination of County Clerks, such an Agreement I did
not conceive myself at Liberty to make & indeed I think that
he ought to have offered one third of the Profitts at least.
Upon this Accot therefore I have declined commissioning him
till I can know Yr farther pleasure, but have engaged him to
let the Duty & Business of the Office be executed in the Interim
by the Clerk in his name & he continues to enjoy the Naval
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Letter Bk. I.
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Office till you & His Ldp shall be pleased to determine thereon.
He has he says examined into the Benefitts of the place
tendered him & finds they amounted in the year 1753 as he
has noted in the inclosed paper which he delivered me as it is,
in which you will please to observe he has valued Tobo at 10
Shillings p Cent. I had valued according to the Inspection
Law at 1 2s 6d I had estimated the Fees on an Average for
five years past he only for one, neither had I allowed for Cask
& Shrinkage as he has done; indeed while the Fees are payable
in Tobacco these Offices may one Year be twice as valuable
as they are another, & if the Inspection Law drops there is
reason to fear they will be but very inconsiderable as the Fees
will always be paid in the very worst Tobo & the Marketts will
at the same time be much overstocked —
You are pleased to acquaint me that His Ldp desires
Recommendation from me of Personages from the Lower
House to be now & then preferred to be of his Council of State
& that it would be right for me to observe thereon in my pub-
lick Letters & that His Ldp also desires the members of the
Lower House or their Families may have share of his favours
as thereby their Virulency may be abated: I do not know how
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p. 379
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