191 | To Richard Jackson

    Boston. Feb: 21. 1763

    Dear Sr

    I have postponed continuing my letter from Feb: 1,713 in hopes of the Sessions ending before I should be called upon for my letters. But the affair of Mr Mauduit has created such a deal of unnecessary squabbling that the Session is at least lengthen’d by a fo^u^rtnight more than it would otherwise have been.

    I left the subject with the appointment of a joint Committee to answer Mr Mauduit’s letter. The Chairman of that Committee reported a draught very much to the purpose of Mr Otis’s letter, but so artfully disguised as to pass the Committee. But this would not stand the Test of the Council, who accordingly rejected all that tended to encourage Mr Mauduit to renew his application; & reduced that paragraph to terms of general civility only.

    This being sent to the House they non concurred the amendment & concurred the original draught. Upon this the board adhered to the amendment & sent it down again. The second time the House concurred the amendment allmost unanimously, 6 out of 9 of the Committee voting against their own Report, & many who voted against it declared that they had misunderstood the question.714 Mr O himself gave it up for which he afterwards gave his reasons for in these Words, as I am informed, “Damn the letter & D—Mr M[auduit]715: I dont care a farthing for either but I hate the L— G— should prevail in any thing.”716

    Since this affair has been stirred, The press has swarmed with libels of the most scurrilous & most abusive vio^ru^lent kind: which have no other effect than to raise the abhorrence of all good Men, & all others who would be thought such. It’s given out by O & his party, that Mr M is with the help of the dissenting interest, to get ^me^ removed. In short, his Name & Cause, is used to such infamous purposes, that he would be heartily ashamed of his Partisan; if he knew how he used only him as a tool ^only^ of his faction & turbulency

    I before gave you a Caution about my being misrepresented to the Dissenters in London. I must now add that I should be glad if you would secure to yourself an early information of any thing of that kind that shall come to hand. And if it should seem to require preventing a prejudgement, untill the falsehood (for such it must be founded on) can be detected. I believe Lord Barrington will be a very proper & a ready Mediator. I am Dr Sr &c

    R Jackson Esqr.

    P.S. I desire you would give me the earliest advice of an alteration in the administration of the plantations either in persons or offices. I have enclosed a triplicate of my Grant in the Cover to Mr Pownall717

    L, LbC BP, 2: 262-263.