Halifax Decr 12th 1774.
Dear Sir,
I Recd your favr of the 30th ult: by Mr Milner. I have no wish to be concerned in the purchase of any lands, as I have no money to lay out in that way. As Mr Milner has ever gone contrary to my advice, I wish not to Interfere in his business and therefore will not require you to give up the lands, without it should be necessary for the purpose of Selling them to pay debts of Mr Milner's, upon the personal Estate being found Insufficient, which hope will not be the case. The enterprising Geniuses in the Land way are certainly of the Quixote kind. I wonder If we shall have Delegates from their Republick at the next Congress? Will it not Surprize Lord Dartmouth to find in the list of Colonys La Mancha, when they refused to settle a Colony in that place under a Charter from the Crown? Or is not this Settlement in Violation of the power of the Crown who have prohibited any settlement West of the Line Run by order of the King in Council? And will it not be Governor Martin's duty to see that his Majesty's Proclamation is Complied with in this Province?
The story of Mr & Mrs Crosbie leaving your house did not Surprize me, as I before thought that both were very Giddy and thoughtless, and averse to every kind of Economy or Restraint on their turn for dissipation. At the same time I think Mrs Crosbie would have made a good wife to a Sensible man.
What you mention as to John Maclellan gives me much uneasiness. When I got the debts from Mr McNair, I had some difficulty in getting John to take charge of the Collection, without I would allow him to employ Mr Kinchen. In order to make that matter more easy, I was obliged to agree that Mr Kinchen should take the business at the Courts where you did not Attend. I know of no way of making you satisfaction but by allowing you a fee on these causes, brought in Courts where you attend, where the debt was originally the property of Ralph McNair & Co. I have Just wrote John that if he does not give all the business to you where you attend, that I shall be obliged in Justice to myself to take the business out of his hands, however the Step may be disagreeable I am determined
on it, and if he does not promise me in his next letter to comply with this I shall order Robert Bogle to take everything under his own management, who I am certain will obey my orders or that of any of the Company. This affair has really given me much disquiet. To be obliged from necessity to submit to the humour of one's Clerk or Agent, is too degrading, but as I can bear it no longer I am resolved to put an end to it.We have not a word yet here of the Governor, tho' he was ready to Sail from New York Six weeks ago, nor has anybody in Newbern heard from him for some time before that. I wish he may not have been on the Coast in some of these late hard Gales of Wind.
Lord Granville's Commission to the Governor is come in. Two Copys by way of Charleston & New York, both open'd and read by every Storekeeper on the Way. Its the freedom of the times; because I refuse to Sign the Association, I have not a letter from Britain dated later than July, except one of Augst from Col Fanning, tho' I am Absolutely certain, of some having come to Virga of a later date—and yet God knows no man is more Interested than I am, in wishing the Colonys may be Free—however I may disapprove of the present mode to Obtain it. We are told the Parliament is dissolved, which I wish may be true; we are also told Wilkes is Elected for Middlesex, a matter of not so much Importance. Mr Monro who is gone up, will no doubt have informed you of my Situation, but that you may be easy on that Account, I can tell you Col Jones was here to day, paid me £100 Proc: and ordered some goods to be laid by for him—his brother Willie bought some things of me some days ago, Confessing that there was no Resolve in the Association against it tho' I would not Sign. Indeed I have got more money Since the Cols Speach to his Constituents than for some time before, and am Sure have not lost one Customer,—by refusing to distress my friends in Britain, merely because they could not Procure a Repeal of the Obnoxious Laws, tho' they may exert their utmost Interest for that purpose. I would not Impeach the Wisdom or the Justice of the Congress, at these times it may be dangerous, as perhaps even this may be opened, I must therefore Conclude by giving Mrs Miller's and my own, most Respectful Compliments to Mrs Burke & you & Assure you I am with the greatest Esteem,