A Rhode Islander Caught in the Letters Controversy

    1175. From George Rome, [prior to 8 November 1773]

    1176. To George Rome, 9 November 1773

    Not all the letters contained in the packet sent by Benjamin Franklin to the Massachusetts House were written by residents of Massachusetts. The parcel also included four letters by Thomas Moffat, a victim of the Newport Stamp Act riots who was later compensated by a post in the New London Customs House, and one letter to Moffat written by George Rome, a London merchant resident in Rhode Island since 1761. Both men complained about the popular nature of Rhode Island’s charter government, and Rome in particular about the difficulty of collecting debts in the Rhode Island courts. After the publication of the letters, Moffat was beyond the reach of the Rhode Island legislature but Rome was summoned to answer charges of defaming the colony’s government. Confronted only with a copy of his letter and not the original, Rome refused to acknowledge that he had written it. The Rhode Island legislature jailed him for contempt, where he remained until at least November 1775.

    1175. From George Rome

    [Rhode Island, prior to 8 November 1773]

    Sir, As you have doubtless heard of my late persecution, I must beg leave to enclose you a Printed Copy of a Letter signed G Rome, together with a Copy of the proceedings of our General Assembly thereon.1 As I think they have treated me with much indignity and in a very unwarrantable manner and as there are few of my acquaintances here on whose opinion, in matters of such importance as I can intirely confide, I would beg leave to lay the whole before your Excellency and to request you wou’d be pleased to embrace an early leisure hour to give me your candid sentiments of the same, and opinion how you wou’d have me act. I wou’d also beg the favour to know when you can with any degree of certainty inform me, who the atrocious person or persons are that have rifled the Cabinets of the deceased and exposed his friends private confidential Letters. They have by that measure betrayed a baseness beneath the dignity of a human being and done the authors an irreparable injury. If you are acquainted with the Executors and should you hereafter make any application for the originals I would beg the favor you wou’d mention mine and order it to be return’d or destroy’d as you think best.

    Are you apprehensive they will ever be able to obtain the originals again? Is there anything in what they call mine, Libellous? Have I any remedy and what is the more proper steps for me to pursue to obtain satisfaction or at least a reprimand for the insult and indignity offer’d to me. Is there anything in my Answers to their Questions that will justify such treatment? and what is your opinion of the whole?

    If your Excellency will forgive me this liberty and permit me to ask your advice as occasion may require, you will confer a very particular favour on me; and in order that the correspondence may be as private as the nature of the affair and the times and Seasons require; my Letters shoud I have occasion to write hereafter, shall go through any channel your Excellency is pleased to appoint. I am Your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble Servant,

    G. Rome

    SC (National Archives UK, CO 5/762, ff. 440–41); at foot of letter, “His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson Esqr.”; at end of letter, “Copy.”

    1176. To George Rome

    Boston 9. Novr 1773

    Sir, From the very unfair treatment which I received from the leaders of the Party here I expected they would have delivered up to your Enemies your original Letter, and I heard with pleasure, that it was sent back with the other Letters to the person from whom it was received. I am too much interested to judge of the late transaction without some degree of bias. This is not the case with many Gentlemen in England who pronounce it infamous. Lord Dartmouth had not received any notice of it from me, when he wrote the last letter which has come to my hands, & he had seen the Resolves only & not the Letters. He had seen enough however, to say that every candid man must condemn the proceedings.1 I should not chuse to go to prison for a few hours but I think your refusal to acknowledge their inquisitorial authority & the propriety of your Answers will be more to your honour than the imprisonment can be to your dishonour. I see no chance you can have for satisfaction from the Assembly by any process against them. You will undoubtedly advise your Friends in England and I would leave it to their discretion to apply or not according to the prospect of success. It may be of some use to them to be informed that by Cap. Calef I have [in]closed to Lord Dartmouth copy of your Letter to me, of [your] printed Letter and of the Minutes of the Assembly [for a] piece of News.2 I think there is no danger of the return [of yo]ur original Letter & therefore it is not worth considering [whe]ther an Action of any sort can be maintained against you.3 [I rath]er think the person who sent the Letters will be [very gl]ad when he has them back again, for I can not [help be]ing of opinion that an Action will ly against [him tha]t large damages may be recovered. The only [method] will be to obtain legal evidence. The presumption [illegible] present. I have seen a Letter from London which says that Mr. Whatelys brother & executor acknowledged that Mr. T. came to him after his Brothers death & upon some pretence or other desired to see some of my letters & Mr. Olivers, & that he the executor suffered him to take a bundle of the deceased Whatelys papers & to carry them into another room. The Letter writer adds that Whately seemed distressed & would not suspect T. because some persons had wrote from Boston that the Letters were carried over by a Mr. Story who left England before Mr. Thos. Whately died but this was not true.4 I am further informed that some of T.’s friends in England believe him to be the person & that he has lessened himself with them. The Lieutenant Governor expects to hear from Mr. Whately, to whom he has wrote upon the Subject. I have the promise also of such intelligence as can be obtained from Whately, which I will communicate to you. As for my own Original Letters they can do no further mischief, but when I write to Mr. Whately as I expect to do in a little time, I will mention yours but I fancy it will never be returned to him, for I doubt whether he knew what Letters were in the bundle which he delivered to T.5 Whenever it shall be in my power to be serviceable to you, you may command me. I am under no apprehensions of any Letters from you being known to be so if the direction is not in your hand writing. Upon my own Account I am not under any concern. I am &c.,

    AC (Massachusetts Archives, SC1/series 45X, 27:591–92); in EH’s hand.