245 | To Richard Jackson

    Boston Novr. 26. 1763

    Dear Sr.

    About a month ago I wrote to you two short letters:948 in the first of which I gave an Accot. of my having remitted £78 11s. 6d. for the proprietors of the said 6 towns, & added some thoughts concerning the forwarding that business. But I forgot one consideration which would have made me urge, more than I have done, the getting these confirmations passed; It would be very agreable to me, if I could inform the Assembly at their Winter Session, which will be in Decr. 21, that the Order of Confirmation is passed. I apprehend that the Affair of Agency &c will be again agitated there: But I shall act a different part from what I have done. Having sufficiently established your Character & thereby shown that my motives to engage you in the Service of the province arose from a desire to serve it & not you; I shall now consult your dignity & my own, & appear more indifferent about this business than I have been; except that I shall make no doubt of excercising my Negative where I think the good of the Province requires it.

    The Merchants here are greatly alarmed at the present proceedings to guard this Coast & especially the appointing the Captains of the men of War to be Customhouse Officers. They are strange People: they are either for taking the government by Storm & enforcing such a remission of the laws of trade as they think fit; or else in a fit of Despondency they give up themselves & their trade to ruin. They never think of a middle way, to remonstrate, with decency, upon the real hardships they lay under & to crave redress, which I cannot think would be hard to obtain. The whole amount seems to be only these: 1 to be allowed to bring Wine & fruit & Oyl Olives &c from such ports of Portugal Spain & the Streights to which they send fish. These imports would amount to very little, & would still leave the greatest part of the Produce of the fish to be remitted to Great Britain; 2 to reduce the duty of Melasses to 1d Þ Gall. & of Sugars to 1s Þ hund: and if the money it raises is an object, I don’t see why ys duty may not be extended to all melasses & Sugar witht distinction. I shall say no more on this Subject as I can send a news paper letter that Speaks a good deal of my Sentiments.

    I have waited some time for the Arrival of the Sept. Packet; but expect no news by it, as we have now recieved by private Ships the London papers as far as Octo. 5. However I may possibly learn some of your thoughts upon the present State of Affairs, as far as you dare communicate them. It is reported here with confidence, that you are appointed Secretary to Mr Greenville; for what purpose or for what department I must suspend my Curiosity till I hear from you.949 If I was well enough acquainted with Mr Greenville I would congratulate him on his Acquistion I am, Dr Sr. &c__

    R Jackson Esq.

    L, LbC BP, 3: 106-107.