330 | From John Pownall

    London. Janry. 12. 1765.

    Dear Sir,

    I cannot suffer the first Packet after the commencement of a new year to sail without carrying some expression of those wishes of happiness in the course of it to you and yours which are excited by the most sincere ffriendship and regard and in which Mrs. pownall joins with me.

    My attendance and attention to my office is so great under the great load of business which this present state of our Colonies throws upon it, that I have very few opportunitys of discharging those obligations which your kindness in honouring me with your correspondence lays upon me, beleive me however that I have not the less attention to your interest, which I ever have and ever shall endeavour to promote & support to the utmost of my power.

    The circumstance which in the present state of your publick situation, seem to require this particular attention of your ffriends are the Complaints exhibited to the Treasury agt. you by Mr. Temple and the affair of Mount Desert, but let not your mind be uneasy on either of these points, __ the complaints as far as I have seen of them, for I have not yet seen all the papers, carry with them the strongest marks of the temper and design with which they are made, and you may rest satisfied that in the examination of them at the Bd. of trade where I flatter myself your Character & conduct is considerd in a very different light from that in which these complaint[s] endeavour to represent them there will be the utmost Justice & candour __ Mr Temples Letters are in part referred to the Bd from the Council and we wait only for a reference of the rest in order to transmit the whole to you for your account.

    As to Mount Desart it is very unhappily so blended with the question of Rights to the Country to the East of penobscot, that I fear it cannot be ^[now?] separatd as to receive a formal confirmation ’till that question is decided, and whenever that is brought to an issue which I hope may be before the next packet sails — nothing but the very improbable event of a total Change of men & measures can prevent your property being conferrd to you, which ever way the question shall be decided __ As I know however how very disagreeable and discouraging it must be to you to have this matter remain in suspence, I am endeavouring with Lord Barringtons assistance to get a confirmation of it with a salvo1 as to the question of Right to the eastern Country. I wish I could say with certainty that I should succeed but my hopes at present are great.

    I endeavoured to assist the Germans2 that brought me a Letter from you as much as possible, I gave them an office Certificate in the nature of a pass that will probably meet with some respect on the other side of the Water and upon their plea of poverty I procured them a free passage to Holland.

    The Colonies in genl. will now soon see and feel the Effects of the Parliaments resentment of those strange doctrines and declarations with which they, and in particular the Massachusets Bay, have been misled, and which seems to have produced a Crisis in respect to American Affairs really important and in some sort deserved. — But of this and of evry thing else of publick politics you will receive better hints and better Accounts from others than can be given you by

    Dear Sir, Your most Obedt. and most faithfull humble Sert.

    J Pownall

    ALS, RC BP, 10: 262-265.