The May Elections

    863. To John Pownall, 30 May 1771

    864. From Lord Hillsborough, 1 June 1771

    865. To Thomas Gage, 3 June 1771

    866. To Lord Hillsborough, 4 June 1771

    867. To Sir Francis Bernard, 5 June 1771

    868. To Unknown, 5 June 1771

    869. To [John Pownall], 5 June 1771

    Hutchinson was ever hopeful that new elections would return a House of Representatives less eager to challenge parliamentary authority and ministerial directions. He himself sought to accept as many new members into the Council as possible, this time refusing only John Hancock and Jerathmiel Bowers. Initially, it seemed as if the new General Court was also eager to leave past quarrels behind. It pleaded that meeting in Cambridge was merely inconvenient and not a violation of the charter or a misuse of the royal prerogative, a significant departure from past messages.

    863. To John Pownall

    Boston 30th May 1771.

    My Dear Sir, I have but just time to cover the News Paper of this Day to give you an Account of Our Election. I wished to avoid Negatives and offered privately before the Choice if they would bring in the Secretary to take Hancock with him, but they could not be prevailed upon and I thought it would be given them too much to take him without.1 We are however, I think, coming to a peaceable State. The House have desired me to Day to carry them to Boston giving up the Claim of Right and urging only the Inconvenience from sitting at Cambridge. I will by the next inclose their Message to my Lord Hillsborough in hopes of obtaining His Majesty’s Leave to hold the next Session at Boston if the present Session ends as I hope it will.2 I am &c,

    SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/768, ff. 200–01); docketed, “Govr. Hutchinson, Boston, 30th May 1771. Rx 9th July. To John Pownall Esqr.”; at foot of letter, “Inclosures Massachusetts Gazette of Thursday 30th of May 1771.” AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:174); at head of letter, “Bryant”; at foot of letter, “Jno Pownall Esqr”; in WSH’s hand.

    864. From Lord Hillsborough

    Whitehall, 1st. June 1771.

    (No. 8.)

    Sir, Since my Letter to you of the 4th. Ultimo I have received & laid before the King your Dispatches of the 2d. & 19th. of April No. 1 & 2, and I take the Opportunity of the Halifax Schooner which carried Orders from the Lords of the Admiralty to the Commander of His Majesty’s Ships at Boston, to acquaint you that the Attention you have shewn to the Duties of your Station, and the important Objects committed to you, is very pleasing to the King; and I have great Satisfaction in finding that the Publication of your Commission of Governor in Chief has been attended with Marks of Civility and Respect from every Order of Men, except only such whose Neglect you say rather does you Honour, and altho’ I cannot but lament that there are still some Incendiaries in Boston who endeavour by publications of a very dangerous Tendency, & by inflamatory Speeches at Town Meetings, to keep up in the lower sort a Spirit of Disrespect to Government & an Opinion of their own Independence, yet I am not without Hopes that the Influence of the more respectable Inhabitants together with the Example of the good Conduct of the Council, will have sufficient Efficacy to counteract their mischievous Intentions and to preserve the Tranquillity which has been so happily restored to that Town. I am &ca,

    Hillsborough

    SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 150–51); at head of letter, “Govr. Hutchinson.” SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/765, ff. 206–7); docketed, “Govr. Hutchinson (No 8).”

    865. To Thomas Gage

    Boston 3 June 1771

    Sir, I have the honour of your Letter of the 26th last. We have a Vessel from Liverpool yesterday with London News to the 17th. By comparing the several Articles I have seen I fancy the City Heroes cool a little and it is not impossible that the commitment of the Lord Mayor &c. may have a good effect notwithstanding their release upon the prorogation. I do not find any other pains or penalties are like to be inflicted. The pacifick prospect rather enlarges.

    By the April Packet my Letters from Lord Hillsborough rather discourage me from solliciting any material Repairs at the Castle this Summer. I expect to hear farther upon the Subject when I receive my general Instructions which I doubt not are upon their Passage. I will endeavour to procure some of Commodore Gambier’s old Colours to supply the Flags which are worn out as we have all the same Owner and I will run the risque of procuring four or five hundred cedar post or pickets to secure the Glacis at Shirley Battery and I will desire Colo. Dalrymple to afford the labour of some of the Soldiers in replacing the sods & I will take the chance of being reimbursed. There is between two & three hundred feet so exposed that five hundred pounds will not repair the damage which will be caused by the first heavy storm and yet Fifty pounds laid out in season will be a guard against it. The case is different with the Platforms &c which may Remain as they are till next year. I am with very great Regard & esteem Sir Your most obedient humble Servant,

    RC (Clements Library, Thomas Gage Papers); at foot of letter, “His Excellency General Gage.” AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:175); at foot of letter, “Gen Gage”; in WSH’s hand.

    866. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston June 4th. 1771

    (No 5)

    My Lord, I am now to acknowledge the honour of your Lordship’s Letter No 6 by the April Packet. I had signified to General Gage the necessity of some small Repairs at the Castle and, by the last Post, he writes to me that he can do nothing more than represent that Repairs are wanting and make the repairs when it is His Majesty’s pleasure they should be made. The Platforms must be new and the cost will be the same whether the work be done at one time or another, but the defence of part of the Gla’cis against the Sea being gone, if it should not be restored, there is danger of great devastation from a heavy storm whenever it may happen. I had rather therefore advance a small Sum in hopes of being reimbursed than the Crown should run the hazard of a much greater charge a short time hence and I have wrote to General Gage conformably.1

    The new Assembly is now sitting at Cambridge. The choice of Councillors much the same as the last year. Of four new elected I accepted two, of whom one has the character of being a friend to Government and the other has not distinguished himself in opposition to it; the other two I had negatived the last year and, as they had not given me any reason by a change in their conduct neither could I prevail with the Electors to bring in one or two who had formerly been left out of the Council, I thought it most advisable to repeat the negative.2 I will inclose to your Lordship copy of the Speech I made to the Assembly after the Election was over, also of a Message from the House and my Answer.3 I am not wholly disappointed in my expectation of a better Temper in the Assembly. They have given up the claim of Right in determining the place of the Courts sitting and I think they are fully convinced that the Arguments urged by the last Assembly from the form of the Writ &c. were quite trifling.4

    There are Inconveniences in holding the Court out of Boston unless the seat of Government be altered, particularly I have not that advantage of knowing and making my self known to the Members which I otherwise should have and whilst there is any room to expect a return to Boston there will be room for the disaffected to make a handle of the Courts being out of Town for increasing discontent and discord, and as I have both publickly and privately declared that whilst the Right of the Crown to determine in what place the Court should sit was disputed I would never ask His Majesty’s leave to remove it to Boston, I humbly submit it whether the honour of Government would not be saved although I should be allowed to Prorogue the Court to Boston. I shall make the next Prorogation to Cambridge & so from time to time until I am further instructed.

    The two Houses will take some notice of that part of my Speech which relates to the Eastern Country but I doubt whether they will take the proper measures for removing any of the Intruders.5 I thought my intimating to them the probability of the matters coming before Parliament would not be disapproved of by your Lordship. I have the honour to be most respectfully My Lord Your Lordships most humble & most obedient Servant

    RC (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 174–75); at foot of letter, “Rt. Honble. the Earl of Hillsborough [&c]”; docketed, “Boston 4th. June 1771 Governor Hutchinson (No. 5) Rx 23 July D——10.” DupRC (National Archives UK, CO 5/894, ff. 148–49); at head of letter, “Duplicate”; docketed, “Massachusets. Duplicate of a Letter No. 5 from Govr. Hutchinson to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated June 4 1771, relative to repairs at the Castle;—the temper of the new Assembly; & holding the General Court out of Boston. O.o. 20. Read Decr: 12; 1771.” AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:176–77); at foot of letter, “Hillsborough”; in WSH’s hand. SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/768, ff. 201–04); docketed, “Boston June 4th. 1771 Govr. Hutchinson (No. 5.) R. 23rd. July”; at foot of letter, “Inclosures. 1. Govr. Hutchinson’s Speech. 2. Assembly’s Message to the Governor & his Answers.” SC (Houghton Library, Sparks 43, 1:132); docketed, “Govr. Hutchinson to the Earl of Hillsborough”; excerpt of the last sentence in paragraph two (“They have given up . . .”) and paragraph three only. Enclosures to RC: TH’s speech to the General Court, 30 May 1771 (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 176–77); Message from the House with TH’s reply, 29 and 30 May 1771 (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 178–79).

    867. To Sir Francis Bernard

    Boston 5 June 1771

    (No 5)

    Orr

    Dear Sir, Notwithstanding the hurry of business from the sitting of the Court at Cambridge which takes up much of my time I can borrow enough to inclose you the papers where you will find every thing material relative to the Election &ca.1

    I shall continue to forward them until you tell me they are not worth Receiving. While you are in the Country & perhaps think but little upon N England except upon their Ingratitude I wish sometimes to hear from you being with the most Sincere regard & esteem Dear Sir Your faithful humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:181); at foot of letter, “Sr F Bernard Bart.”

    868. To Unknown

    Boston 5 June 1771

    By Orr to Glasgo

    Dear Sir, I now sit down to answer your obliging Letter of the 6 April.1 I do it sooner than otherwise I should because of a Paragraph which relates to my self and to which, for my own sake you are so kind as to expect an Answer. I cannot guess what should give rise to the Report you mention unless some Expression may have dropped from me in the heighth of our Troubles comparing this Government with any others in a more orderly state, and the Persons hearing me may have imagined I wished for an Exchange. I never did wish it and I have less reason now to do it than ever because I have more reason to hope to be able to serve my King and Country and to restore Peace & order in the Province. The Assembly this year are in a much better temper than the Assembly of the last although four fiths of the Members are the same Persons. I could not avoid negativing two of their Councillors elect one of whom had been too much at the head of our late disorders and continued to justify them; the other was a very indifferent character.2 The House nevertheless seem in good humour, have acknowledged my full right to carry them to any part of the Province and only urge the Inconvenience of sitting in any other place than Boston and therefore wish I would remove them there. Mr Otis who the last year was disordered in his mind, having now a seat in the House again in his first Speech, declared that the appointment of the Governor was evidently pleasing to the People of the Province in general and he thought it not advisable to seek a controversy with him, and I am in hopes that, without conceding to the late unreasonable claims we shall remain in a quiet state for some time to come. Be this as it may, I am too old to transplant, and unless I had a good errand to England for a year or two, I cant say I desire to spend any part of the remainder of life out of this Province, and if Government proves to heavy for me I shall lay down by Burthen and retire.

    The Inhabitants increase surprisingly in the Eastern Country and will get such hold that it will be very difficult to remove them. Upon one Island only one of the Fox Islands, off Penobscot there are 70 Families and some have been there a long time and although they have no colour of Title except what possession gives they consider the Lands as their own and their posterity take them by Inheritance.3 Sooner or later that Country will be a distinct Government which will advance the Estates there. I expect Colo Goldthwait from Penobscot and after discoursing with him upon the prudence of attempting a Town at Tarrance harbour I will give you my opinion.4 I am at present in doubt having seen so many instances of such attempts attended with expence which has been in a great measure lost. I beg you to beleive me to be upon every occasion Dear Sir Your faithful & most Obedient Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:178–79); in WSH’s hand.

    869. To [John Pownall]1

    Boston 5 June 1771

    By Orr to Glasgow

    Dear Sir, The House of Representatives having in the most explicit manner acknowledged my Right to convene the Court w[h]ere I think proper,2 they have strengthned Government and given me more weight in the Province than they intended; the People being made sensible, that I claimed no more than the just Prerogative in this instance, think more favorable of me and of the Principles I avow in other points in difference. The return of the Court to Boston in consequence of this concession, will give me further weight, and it may be, enable me to obtain other points equally reasonable for them to concede. I hope therefore I shall have liberty to hold a Session here in the Fall. I think I can make it serve to conciliate the People of the Town to me and to the other Servants of the Crown.

    I can mention to you what will appear improper in a publick Letter. I was much pressed by many persons well affected in general to consent to the Election of Mr Hancock his connections being large which are strongly prejudiced against me for the frequent refusal to accept of him in Office. They Assured me he wished to be seperated from Mr Adams another Representative of the Town an Incendiary equal to any at present in London3 and, if I would admit him to the Council, they had no doubt there would be an end to the Influence he now has, by means of his property, in the Town of Boston. As there had been no advances on his part I could not think it proper for me to follow their advice. I have now reason to think that before another Election he will alter his conduct so far as to justify my acceptance of him which certainly will take off that sowerness of temper from many People which his negatives occasion and unless you think it a step not advisable I believe I shall accept of him. Having from year to year the general Vote both of Council and House the constant refusal is more disagreable to the People.

    Mr Otis in a Speech the first day after the Election gave his opinion to the house that we had a very good Governour and he was sure the People in all parts of the Province thought so, he condemned the proceedings of the House the last year & acknowledged the Right of the Governor to carry them to Houssatonick, the Western extreme part of the Province, was sensible that it would be inconvenient and that he would not do it and hoped he would carry them back to Boston. This gave a shock to the party and the House voted to go on with their business as usual without a division or opposition. I am with very great regard & Esteem Sir Your most faithful humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:180–81); in WSH’s hand.

    870. To Thomas Goldthwait or His Deputy

    Boston 11 June 1771

    Sir, His Majesty having been pleased to appoint Thomas Scammell Esqr Inspector of His Majesty’s Timber in the Eastern parts of this Province and in part of Nova Scotia and the said Thomas Scammell intending forthwith to employ himself in that service I must desire you to be aiding and assisting to him by giving him the best Information you can of the state of the Country1 which he is ordered to survey and by engaging and employing, if necessary, one or more of the Garrison under your command as a guide or Attendant and by recommending him to any one or more of the Indian Natives upon whose fidelity he may depend and by all other lawful ways and means in your power, that may most effectually answer His Majestys intention in the appointment aforesaid. I am Sir Your very humble Servant,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:186); at foot of letter, “Colo Goldthwait or in his Absence the Commanding Officer at Fort Pownall”; in WSH’s hand.

    871. To Lord Hillsborough

    Boston 13 June 1771

    No 6

    My Lord, A Vessel arriving yesterday from North Carolina with Intelligence of an Action between the Forces raised by that Government and the Insurgents there, I think it my Duty to transmit to your Lordship the News paper of this day which gives an account of the Action.1 The News paper called the Cape Fear Mercury from which one part of the account was copied was brought to me for my Inspection. As a Vessel lies ready to sail it possible this may be the first Intelligence received in England. I have the honour to be most Respectfully My Lord Your Lordship’s most humble & most obedient servant,

    RC (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 180–81); at foot of letter, “Right Honble. the Earl of Hillsborough”; docketed, “Boston 13th. June 1771. Governor Hutchinson (No. 6) Rx 24th. July D——11.” DupRC (National Archives UK, CO 5/894, ff. 150–51); at head of letter, “Duplicate”; at foot of letter, “Right Honble. the Earl of Hillsborough”; docketed, “Massachusets. Duplicate of a Letter No. 6 from Govr. Hutchinson to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated June 13. 1771, sending an account of the history obtained over the Regulators in North Carolina. O.o. 21. Read Decr: 12, 1771.” AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:187); in WSH’s hand. SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/768, f. 204); docketed, “Boston 13th. June 1771 Govr. Hutchinson (No. 6.) R 24th. July”; at foot of letter, “Inclosure. A Boston Gazette dated June 13th. 1771.” Enclosure to RC: Massachusetts Gazette and Boston Weekly News-Letter, 13 June 1771 (National Archives UK, CO 5/760, ff. 182–83).

    872. From Sir Francis Bernard

    London, June 13. 1771

    Dear Sir, I am extremely concerned at the account of the Disputes between Col Goldthwait & my Son, which will be hurtful to them both but most so to the Colonell, as it will probably destroy that friendly Regard I had for him at a Time when it might have been of good use to him;1 as to his Regard for me I expected nothing from it than what would coincide with his Interest, & therefore I less wonder at his proceeding against my Son with a Vehemence which would be indecent if he never had had any Obligations to me or Expectations from me but I don’t wonder at my never receiving a Line from him on this unlucky Subject, if he considers all Regards as cancelled.

    At this distance & unacquainted as I must be with particulars, I can give my Son no help not even in Advice, but to consult you in every Step he takes, & I must entirely on Your continuing your Friendly Regards to extricate him out of these Difficulties. I shall continue to repeat my earnest Desire that he would endeavour to break from his new made Connections as soon as he can, & I shall not be easy till he has done it. In the present Affair you would do well in endeavouring to set Goldthwait right, if you have any Influence remaining over him, & prevail upon him to consider well, what Advantage can possibly accrue to him, by making the Losses which will befal my Son on his account greater than they need necessarily be; the unavoidable Loss will be great enough to give me just Cause of Complaint without any needless Aggravation of it. I am, Dear Sir, with great Regard Your most faithful & obedient Servant,

    Fra. Bernard

    P.S. Since I have wrote this I have seen Mr Frazer & he tells me that having an Account of my Sons disposing of a Vessel which he said he would consign to them, they had ordered Mr Lechmere their Agent to make an immediate Demand upon my Son & to order him to get what Security he could. As I did not see old Mr Lane I did not enquire in what Manner this Order was to be executed & therefore I know not what is to be provided against it:2 I must in general desire that you will assist him in the best Manner you can. My Son has had including a Legacy which Mr. Lane has Orders to receive £1600 & he has never that I know of been a Man of Expence; and therefore whatever he may have suffered by imprudent Bargains & the Accident at Penobscot I cannot think him insolvent. I beg that you will enquire fully into the State of his Affairs & give me your Opinion what can be done to retrieve them.

    RC (British Library, Eg. 2659, ff. 19, 21); at foot of letter, “His Excellency Govr Hutchinson”; endorsed, “Sir Fr. Bernard Lond. 14 June 1771.”