813 | From Thomas Hutchinson

    No. 20

    Boston 27. Nov. 1769

    My Dear Sir

    Since I wrote you the 20th Inst. I have received your favour No. 2 of the 19 September.1 The combinations here are not so much regarded in England as I expected. They strike me as a most certain evidence of the lost authority of government. Since the advices which you had then received our insolence and contempt of Parliament have rose higher of which I have from time to time been faithful in giving intelligence.

    The remonstrance of the House I knew would be of service to you. Undress it and let the facts appear naked and you are ^not^ accused of doing anything which it would not have been culpable in you to have left undone.

    A day or two ago the Speaker opened a Letter which he received by the last ship from Mr Deberdt and began to read it in company.2 Deberdt says that if the Speaker will furnish him with evidence of any damages which the Province has sustained by your acts of oppression he will bring an Action against you now you are in England. He was going on, but Adams, who sat by told him that he believed it must be a private letter and then he stopped.

    If I have no Instructions to the contrary before the time to which the General Court stands prorogued,3 I shall endeavour to confine the business of the Session to the interior affairs of the Province and if an attempt should be made to fill up the Council we shall have trouble enough with them.

    Otis seems to be nearer to a frenzy than ever before. His behaviour in the Superior Court has been very extravagant. I have attended only the first day of the Court. Doctor Gardner met him a few days ago and desired him to appear in an action in which he was a party.4 He replied he was in a bad state of health — believed he had but a little while to live — must quit business — his constitution was gone — and concluded thus I have done more mischief to my Country than can ever be repaired. I meant well but am now convinced I was mistaken. Cursed be the day I was born. Judge Oliver had this from Gardner’s own mouth and it is now publick. Its probable that the desultory wretch when he finds it like to hurt his interest will be more wicked than ever in order to recover his character.

    I begin to fear that your expectations and mine of being relieved by Parliament were not well founded. The distemper of the people in England will be sufficient to take up most of the attention of the next Session and but little will be turned to the people in America who will be every day confirming themselves more and more in their principles of Independance to which they are encouraged by their correspondents in England. Mr Wilkes, it is said, assures them that Parliament must comply. One of his packets came directed to William Palfrey who is a Clerk to Mr Hancock and I know this same Palfrey gave Mr Eliot who is now in London a letter of recommendation to M. Wilks.5

    Mr Temple has taken his Passage in Hall who talks of sailing in a fortnight. A gentleman asked me to lend a sum of money £500 sterl or any larger sum and told me it was for Mr B—n who he thought could not want it for any other purpose than to supply Mr Temple.6 I hear T— says now that no man is more in favour of governmt. than he is. We used to say A man is known by his company. One of his last exploits is putting himself at the head of a subscription for a Concert, from which the other four Commissioners and all the Officers of the Navy and Army are excluded. I have never seen him but once since you sailed and then we hapned to be at a funeral together and once I saw him at a distance as I passed in my chariot. Erving Bowdoin Pitts and several of our very good Deacons have subscribed to this Concert. I wish it may bring them to like Church Musick.

    Lady Bernard is in a better state of health than she has been for some months. I have just now received a letter from her to be forwarded to you, which I shall send under this cover as also another from Doctor Perkins.

    I am with the greatest regard Sr Your most faithful humble servant

    Tho Hutchinson

    Sir Francis Bernard Bart.

    ALS, RC      BP, 12: 157–160.