This letter will be presented to you by Mr. Perry a great ship-builder, probably known to you by name, as he possesses the largest private ship-yard in England or perhaps the world, and has had the building of ships of the line sufficient to form a division in a line of battle, besides forty gun ships and frigates, and various East Indiamen &c. He is a gentleman I understand, and a man of liberality, and may amuse you by his conversation. But it would not be sufficient perhaps for me to take the liberty of troubling you with a letter in his favor upon the mere chance of this, were I not pressed to do it by a very respectable meighbor of mine and formerly of my father’s (connected with the Hollis family) who requests that I would obtain for him your advice and your grandson’s assistance in placing his two sons somewhere for a few months in France for their improvement. The sons I understand are good-natured young men.
The Mr. Hunt, whom you may possibly see in company with Mr. Perry, is son of the Mr. Hunt Surveyor of Navy, and said to be a gentlemanly man, with whom however I have no connection.
We are in an odd state here. Mr. Pitt certainly does not push the Irish resolutions through nor is he hearty about them in private, and yet I am disposed to think they must pass. Indeed If his ministry should break up, he is the sort of man not to do the work of other people, but the contrary. It was very absurd in him last year to lay his taxes on manufactures, if he meant this year to make a free trade between England and Ireland. There are secret errors in his propositions which lie chiefly in the application the Irish may make of their excise laws to attack our revenue and trade, which I may explain at a future opportunity. The absurdity of the 9th. proposition, as it stands unexplained, is striking, just at the moment when we pretend to have three foreign treaties if not more in hand, besides that of Russia next year.
In short these three things have been ill combined; the last years taxes, the present Irish treaty, and the succeeding foreign treaties. Nothing can better demonstrate the want of system, and shew me clearly the mixture of youthful politics, plagiarism, and accomodation to the prejudices of those who rule.
Many things however will be done as they should be done, and so far we are better off then with the last ministry, who to be sure had nothing in view but providing for their followers; being indeed a profligate set. In short I have altered none of my former ideas respecting men and things.
I forgot to tell you that your remarks on Executive Justice will not only be highly grateful to me, but to another respectable friend.
Dr. Price has done well to publish an abridged translation of the Testament de M. Fortune Riccard, though not of your writing. Both of us had supposed you concerned in it, though parts of it certainly did not bear marks of you. It is tolerably well veined with humor, and though not perfect in its matter, yet I doubt not will be of use, because it will convey political arithmetic into the way of laughters and men of wit. It has for some time been in the hands of serious men, but it was not for that reason much the nearer to being brought into the practice by statesmen.
Dr. Price by the advice of L.L. sent Mr. Pitt several schemes for reducing the national debt, upon condition that he examines them himself or refers them to the Commissioners of Accounts he has absolutely protested against his referring them to any other persons whatever.
I shall send you a pamphlet or and shall always be obliged to yourself or grandson for giving Merigot le Jeune an order in kind, of account, when you see any thing worth our perusal here.
Mr. Perry will bring a second bottle of Black lixivium, which God prosper to your use. I am, my dearest sir, Your ever devoted affectionate and obliged