212 | To Lord Barrington

    Castle William May 21. 1763

    My Lord

    I am favoured with your Lordships letter of the 13th of Febry~789 informing of Lady Barrington’s Death.790 I should think an easy determination of a well spent Life rather a subject for congratulation than condolance, if it was not for the pain which the separation gives the relatives left behind.

    I was loath to give your Lordship the last trouble concerning the Naval Office; but Mr. Pemberton is a cautious Man; and I could not avoid satisfying his fears. And now there is occasion for further trouble: by the new establishment of the board of Trade, This Office falls into the patronage of Mr_ Townshend, and I suppose it will be necessary to secure his Confirmation of Lord Egremonts Designation. Your Lordship will judge what will be the best method of procuring that: that nothing may be wanting, I inclose an abstract of the Memorial submitted to Lord Egremont; which, tho’ contracted in words, is sufficiently explicit in matter.

    I must also beg your Lordship to recommend me in general terms to Mr_ Townshend, I have wrote to him upon the Subject of his appointment & have made a ready offer of my Service in giving him information of what has occured to me in regard to such matters as are too delicate for public letters. I wrote to your Lordship (dated Decr. 15 1761)791 a short state of my pretensions to being of some use, in case a Revisal & new Settlement of the Political state of N. America should have a place in the British Councils: to that letter I would now refer; what addition to it shall be necessary, I shall consider & forward by the best oppartunity.

    The Grant of Mount desert still remains in suspension, for want of the original grant, which having been delivered into the Secretary’s Office is mislaid so that it cannot be found. A Duplicate of it sent to the Lords of Trade was taken; but a triplicate, I sent lately, was arrivd.792 At the beginning of last Winter My Conduct & the Provinces was I believe misrepresented from Nova Scotia; and The Lords hearing that Side only judged us rather too hastily. Some time after, my papers arriv’d, which, I understand have shown my conduct & the Provinces right in a different light from what they were seen in before. I have upon this occasion received a kind letter from thier Lordships which makes amends for a ^un^pleasant one which the Nova Scotia Representation produced.793 I am much obliged to your Lordship for the concern you have expressed in this affair. I hope your Lordship will not have much more trouble in it; as it seems to me that the right of the Province to those lands is too strong to be set aside: And Mr_ Jackson is full in this Opinion. There have certainly been great pains taken in the defence of the Province’s right; and I have had my full share of them & I hope without giving offence, as appears from the following Clause in thier Lordships last letter to me “Wee can have no objection to your acceptance of this grant as a Testimony of the approbation & favour of that Province in whose service & in the conduct of whose affairs you have manifested such Zeal & Capacity”__

    We have passed thro’ a very Severe Winter in good health. I have now 8 of my 10 Children in family with me. Frank will soon take his departure for England; when I shall acquaint your Lordship with my thoughts concerning him. I am with our joint compliments to your Lordship, & our friends &c My Lord Your Lordships &c

    The Rt_ Honble Ld. Barrington

    L, LbC BP, 3: 62-65.