880 | To Nathaniel Taylor

    Hampstead, Feb. 9. 1771

    Sir,

    You have greatly surprised me by acquainting me that you have paid Mr Pemberton one half of the Profits of your Office not only contrary to my Protestation, but as you know contrary to Law & Equity. The Pretence of your being afraid of his bringing an Action against you is a mere Pretence. If he could have been so absurd as to bring an Action which must have been barred by producing an Agreement under his own hand, you might have been assured that I would have supported you & the Court would have given time for producing the Agreement; and you could not have wanted able Lawyers who would upon my Account have readily taken up your Defence. But you say Mr Pemberton has indemnified you: It therefore can’t be hard upon you for me to insist upon your immediately paying what remains unpaid of two thirds of the Profits of your Office for the year endg in Octr last. I have wrote to Mr Pemberton that I shall insist upon this.

    You join in an Act of Injustice towards me and then say that you hope it will not forfeit my Patronage. How can this be? Can Injury on your Part & Favor on mine go hand in hand together? My Disposition towards you has been allways fair & kind. I have readily supported your Pretensions to be continued in your Office; because I thought them well founded upon your long Service in it: and I shall support them still. But you must do ^me^ Justice & remove the Impressions which the part you have had in injuring me has made. And this I would advise you to do immediately after you have received this; & send me Word that it is done by the first Ship: for the less time this ill humour is left to subsist the better. For assure yourself that there can be no good Will between you and me, whilst this Injury remains unredressed.

    Observe that all the Interest in this Dispute is become mine, as solely intitled to the Administration of my Son. I shall send a Copy of the Agreement with Mr Pemberton by this Ship, & the original by the first safe Conveyance. After this I shall enter into no Argument on so plain a Case. And if Mr Pemberton is desirous to create a Law Suit out of this Business, I trust I have friends still left at Boston, who will defend me as well as if I was there myself.

    I am Sir &c

    Mr Taylor.

    L, LbC      BP, 8: 154–156.