633 | To the Earl of Hillsborough

    No 8

    Boston June 17 1768

    My Lord

    I have the honor to receive your Lordship’s Letters No 6 & 71 together with the duplicates &c inclosed in the cover of the first. Upon the receipt of them I consulted the Lieut Governor & the Secretary about the best Manner of executing the orders contained in No 7; and We all agreed that it would be best to stay till the Town meetings continued by adjournments were over & the people a little composed. I therefore shall not be able to communicate to the House his Majesty’s requisition untill Tuesday or Wednesday next, according as the House fills; there being always a thin attend House on Saturday & Monday.2

    I cannot foresee what will be done upon the occasion; whether Prudence will get the better of Faction, or not. I know not how to hope that they will comply; if they do not, your Lordship may depend upon it I will obey my orders. It happens a little lucky that I am at present seen in a Very favorable light by the people; and that may prevent my being charged as the Author or advisor of this measure, as at other times I should certainly be. I have lately caused it to be hinted that the Faction is likely to have disputes enough upon their hands without quarrelling with me; and therefore they had best reserve me for a mediator as they will certainly want one: I beleive some of them have listened to this.

    However I shan’t put too great confidence in them: I shall act with all proper caution & if I find myself obliged to dissolve the Assembly, I shall end the Session by prorogation & dissolve them by proclamation.3 By these means the Shock will become gradual; & I shall be able to step out of the Way till the Wonder is over. Indeed I intreated when this Session was over to take a little relaxation; as I find that the Multiplicity of business of late, & the Attention which the importance of it has obliged me to give to it has impaired my health.

    I am with great respect, My Lord, your Lordships most obedient & most humble Servant

    Fra Bernard

    The right honorable The Earl of Hillsborough

    P.S. June 18

    The Commissioners of the Customs having appointed Mr. Hallowell Comptroller of the port of Boston to go directly to London to represent the present state of the officers of the Revenue,4 I shall give him the charge of my present dispatches. And I shall give him a separate Letter to introduce him to your Lordship. He will inform you of the particulars of the late disturbances, as he bore so considerable a part in them.

    ALS, RC     CO 5/757, ff 146-147.

    Endorsed: Boston June 17th: 1768. Governor Bernard. (No. 8) R 19th. July. A.22. Variants: CO 5/766, ff 230-233 (L, RLbC); BP, 6: 324-326 (L, LbC); Letters to the Ministry (1st ed.), 28-29; Letters to the Ministry (repr.), 37-39. The RC was carried to London by Benjamin Hallowell. Extracts were laid before both houses of Parliament on 28 Nov. 1768. HLL: American Colonies Box 2. Hillsborough replied with No. 661.