Philadelphia July 4th. 1757
My last to you was by the Rebecca, Captain
Arthur (via Liverpool) covering the second Copy of the £100. Bill.
Inclosed you have now the third Copy of the same Bills, in Case of
Miscarriages; and you have likewise inclosed the first Copy of
another Bill for the same Value, on the same Gentlemen, which I
hope will come safe to Hand. The Exchange of this last the same as
the first 67½.
In my letter per Arthur, I promised to send you
the Copy of a Letter, I lately received from Mr. James Hunter of
Fredericksburgh, relating to our Virginia Customers which is as
follows.
Whenever you are pleased to send me a list of
the Ballances due on your Gazettes, I will collect the Same for you
and Mr. Franklin without any Gratuity. I would recommend to you in
future to discontinue the Gazettes to those who do not pay for the
whole Year at Entrance, and I am of Opinion you will find no
considerable decline in your Customers thereby. I am sure the
Subscribers on my list would readily agree.
Thomas Franklin is the Rider between
Williamsburgh and this place, and he hath not shown me the Names of
his Subscribers, if they be good, it may not be so convenient for
him to finger the Entrances If you be inclineable to serve them.
You may load a Waggon with Papers for Virginia if the Pay is not
demanded till the Year’s End.
From what you see this Gentleman writes, I
believe it will be best to follow his Advice, and take none but
those who pay as he directs.
By the last Post I receiv’d a letter from Mr.
Christopher Chamney in Virginia wherein he tells me he has lately
paid, Eight Pounds Sixteen Shillings that Currency to Mr. John
Stretch, Money received by him from different People on Account of
our Gazette. I answered him that we were much obliged to him for
the Trouble he had taken about our Affairs; but, as I had heard,
from several Gentlemen, that that Person had refused to take Money
for us, or to be concern’d at all with our Papers, should take it
kind if, for the future, he would send any Thing he might receive
for us by Letter, or order his Correspondent here (if he had any in
this Place) to pay us. This I thought proper to do, as I heard you
say you did not like Mr. Stretch’s receiving for us. I am,
Yours,
Copia Via NY per Halifax Packet Boat Original per the Pennsylvania
Cap Lyon