N. London, Nov. 15, 1768.
By Mr. Byles I am favoured with your most
obliging letter of the second of August last, for which together
with your extraordinary civility to Mr. Byles I truly thank you: I
could not really think of such a person going from hence without
shewing him to you, as a parson or minister of his way and turn of
thinking may be considered as of the comit [comet?] kind here,
which leads me to say somewhat abruptly if not improperly to you,
that it seems to me here as if the universities of Scotland had
conspired to distinguish all the firebrand incendiary preachers of
this country with plumes of honorary degrees and titles, which in
truth are only so many mortifications to the friends of G. Britain
or lovers of letters, who cannot help being touch’d and chagrin’d
at the too frequent profusion of honour and titles conferr’d from
Scotland upon the leading preachers of sedition. I wish this affair
of literary prostitution from my native country may induce you to
speak of it to some of that nation with whom I know you are
intimate, that may think of preventing it for the future.
As to Boston, the great theatre of action, I
have been silent for some time past only for want of certain
intelligence, as every day generally produc’d new rumours without
any or much foundation in truth, but since the arrival of the two
regiments with Col. Dalrymple all has been quiet there. I now
flatter myself that measures of vigour will be pursued and
maintained here, and I impatiently wish to hear that your friend is
in power and confidence again, but that is indeed a point I have
much expectation, desire and faith in. As you have express’d
heretofore to me inclination of knowing the proceedings of the
Rhode Island assembly respecting compensation to the sufferers in
the riot of Newport, I now trouble you with a copy of my letter of
this day to the lords of the treasury, which mutatis mutandis, is
the same with that also to the Earl of Hillsborough of the same
date with a copy of the narrative and letter to Lord Shelburne.
N. London, Nov. 14th, 1768.
Again I presume upon troubling your lordships
with as short an account as may be written of what has very lately
pass’d in the G. assembly of Rhode Island colony, in reference to
their granting of a compensation to the sufferers from the riot of
Newport 1765, as resolved on in the British parliament and very
graciously recommended from his Majesty to the governor and company
of that colony by his principal secretary of state.
Tired out and greatly mortified with a long
course of frequent fruitless and a very expensive attendance upon
the G. assembly, I had resolved above a year ago to solicit them no
more: but at the intercession of my fellow sufferer Mr. Howard
chief justice of North Carolina, I was again prevailed upon to go
to Newport in September last, where and when the assembly then met
and I had sufficient influence to engage the speaker of the house
of deputies to move several times for reading a petition of Mr.
Howard’s, with an estimate of his loss solemnly sworn to and
authenticated by a notary publick with every necessary prescribed
form. The speaker also urged upon the house because of my attending
from another colony upon that account only, but the deputies would
neither consent to hear Mr. Howard’s petition nor receive his
estimate.
Immediately after this refusal a message was
sent from the upper house of magistrates requesting the lower house
to enter now upon the riot of Newport by immediately impowering the
high sheriff to impannel a jury of inquisition to assertain and
repair the loss of Dr. Moffatt, Mr. Howard and Mr. Johnson, but the
house of deputies could not listen nor agree to any part of this
proposal from the upper house.
About the middle of last I wrote a most
respectful letter to the governor of Rhode Island and inclosed to
his honor the estimate of my loss in the Newport riot sworn to
before and attested by a magistrate here requesting the favor of
the governor to lay the same before the ensuing assembly. The
governor writes on the seventh of this month “that at the last
session of assembly he presented my estimate and read my letter in
a great committee of both houses of assembly but could not prevail
to have it consider’d then;” and adds “that he will endeavour to
bring it in again next February.”
Under the strongest impressions of assurance
the G. Assembly of Rhode Island never will recompence the suffered
in the riot of Newport, may I again presume to implore your
lordships interposition and influence to obtain a recompence for
the sufferers in Rhode Island from some more effectual and certain
channel than that of depending any longer upon the duty or justice
of the G. Assembly in that colony. And my lords may I yet farther
presume in writing to your lordships to add that by endeavouring to
restore in some measure what I lost in that riot I am now sadly
sensible that I have not overvalued the same in my estimate, as
also that if I am not compensated by the interest, generosity and
equity of your lordships, I can never expect to be possess’d of
half the value I then lost, as the office of a comptroler here I
now hold, had but a very inconsiderable salary with small
perquisites. I am, My lords, &c. &c.
In my last letter which I hope you have received, as I address’d
it to the care of your brother, I then touch’d upon sir Wm.
Johnson’s being here some weeks in quest of health, and of the
pleasure Mr. Stewart and I enjoy’d with him; as also that lord
Charles Grenville Montague was here en passant with his lady; and I
also then intimated to you our happiness in Mr. Harrison the
collector of Boston having accepted Mr. Stewart’s warm invitation
to come here after the very flagrant riot at Boston, in which he
had been so greatly insulted, abus’d and hurt, who came here with
his lady, son and daughter, and staid a fortnight: when we planned
and regulated all these colonies into a system which I could wish
to see effected. Since which Mr. Stewart has visited Mr. Harrison
at Boston at the time when Mrs. Harrison with their son and
daughter sailed for London as a place of perfect safety and
liberty. Mr. Harrison’s son is capable and promising, but was
cruelly us’d by the mob of Boston, which will I hope incline Mr.
Harrison’s friends or rather the friends of government to provide
suitably for so young a sufferer. I could not easily within the
compass of a letter to you say the pleasure I have felt in
observing the strict union and friendship that subsists and is now
rivetted between Mr. Harrison and Mr. Stewart upon principles of
the truest honor and virtue, both of whom well understand and
sincerely wish the true interest of G. Britain and all her
colonies, especially in the cardinal articles of legislation and
government, as also in the subaltern or lesser points of taxation
and revenue from which objects no attachments, connections or views
will or ever can sway the one or the other. As I have been
accustomed to write to you with a plainness and freedom which I
flatter myself has not been disagreeable, so therefore I would
farther say of Mr. Stewart that he married in an opulent popular
and commercial family, some of whom perhaps may be supposed to have
more oblique interest than may be consistent with regulation or a
due submission to the laws of G. Britain, so it is with a peculiar
and very sensible satisfaction that I can assure you his spirit
address and conduct in so nice a situation deserves the greatest
praise and commendation, as it has perhaps been or may be very
influential on some of the best among them, even to a better way of
thinking and acting. By the inclos’d you will know that Mr. Stewart
now writes to Mr. Grenville, and mentions somewhat of his
application for leave of absence from the Treasury board, which I
only wish him to succeed in because I think Mr. Harrison and him
really the most capable persons here to throw light upon many
transactions here which cannot be communicated in letters or any
written representation to satisfaction or proper advantage. If Mr.
Stewart obtains leave to return home I shall be unhappy enough by
his absence. Two years are now elapsed since I came here, a great
part of which has been spent in anxiously wishing for the genius of
Britain to awake and vindicate her supreme jurisdiction and
authority impiously questioned and denied in colonies so very
lately redeemed from hostile incursions and encroachments, but I
believe the time is now come, and I rejoice in its approach. I wish
you every felicity with the preferment and employment you like
best, and am Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant,