Dear Ned,
I have done myself the favor to write you twice since my arrival. I have been long looking out for letters from thee, depending upon the promise you gave me of being a good Correspond. but from the like general silence of my Friends, I am unhappy enough at times to fear that my Name & Memory are forgotten among you. I can with truth say, I do not desire it at your hands, for I consider myself only as a Sojourner in this land of Gomorrah; one great
Tye, excepted, my Thoughts & Wishes, are where my property & my friends are. It would be strange if it were otherwise.By some letters I have lately recd from about Halifax, I am informed of your generous, warm & friendly behaviour on my subject; I am most happy to find that I still possess that share in your warm esteem, which I flatter myself you are sensible I have ever looked upon amongst the most favorable Circumstances, which have attended me. I will not offer you my thanks for this particular; your whole Conduct, since first we were acquainted, has been uniformly of the same nature, and I will be bold to say, I partly deserved it at your hands, if a most preferable Affection for your personal merit and Felicity, & the warmest wishes for you may justify me in so saying.
I have the history of your politics; I have not time to enter into them fully: I shall only observe that the scheme fallen upon of depending upon the Govrs agential Exertions can never answer; my reputation on it;—that no Provincial Application will ever succeed, without some proper person's appearing (by authority) on behalf of the province, & conducting it thro' the maze of office here;—that my Father's difficulties have given him very superior knowledge in official affairs, & that depending thereon, I thought I could have served your public with Success.—I submit to what the Assembly has done, tho' as an Individual much concerned, I can but wish things were otherwise.—An appointment by vote of your House, would have been sufficient, & the mode which I expected would have been fallen upon—I am informed, it was your Sentiment—I will only further observe on what is past,—that I conceive the exercise of a negative in the Council to be arbitrary & injudicious; that I trust the respectful, the disinterested principles upon which I made the offer of my services to the public of North Carolina, will not lessen that favorable prejudice which I have ever been happy in conceiving they entertain of my political Character, and that I shall by no means decline any future opportunity of receiving their Commands—I will be explicit with you, & inform you that I conceive the absolute necessity of an appointment will be apparent at your next meeting, and that if the Council continue their obstinacy, I think it may very well be done by vote of your House;—that I shall be desirous that my Friends will exert themselves to let the appointment fall either upon me or my Father;—no pecuniary Appointment is desired that may be left open—The
uncertainty of my future prospects will not let me speak with precision;—whilst I continue in England, I shall be glad to have it in my power to employ my best opportunities in the service of your province,—and should I hereafter determine upon absolute Settlement here the agency will be a desirable and an honorable object,—and as my pretentions are (I trust) well founded, I shall wish those who are my friends, may ever keep alive my Interest on this Subject.I have not heard a single syllable of or from Colo Frohock, since we parted in April 1767.—It is what I never could have expected,—what I can not acct for;—my hopes are at most entirely in his hands,—judge for me,—how severe must be the feelings of my disappointment—I have the most unprecedented reliance in his honor & Friendship, but surely I have much reason to reproach his unkind Inattention.
I shall write Colos Harvey & Montford, & desire them to communicate to you the political parts of my Letters I am sorry to say it, I can see little prospect of meeting relief from Govt here, as to the distresses you labour under for want of a Circulating medium. Bills may be emitted, not being a legal tender,—consent might give them equal values;—this is in your hands—think of it.—I conceive it might be ripened into a happy remedy for your distresses.
You was so obliging as to assure me of your best care and exertions in my affairs, & I most faithfully depend on them You can't oblige me more than in letting me hear very often from you, & fully—If in my power to serve you here, freely let me know it,—I am extremely sorry that unforeseen Circumstances prevented me from assisting your mercantile views, as I wished. Any particular Commissions you may want, I will send you—I have not leisure to write you much on my subject I am in health middling, but entirely lost in Idleness,—I still continue an unfortunate Batchelor, & no prospect of my being otherwise—I sincerely hope you have been well and happy,—let me hear all about you—I am setting out for the Hotwells, Bristol, from whence I shall send this Letter,—very probably, I may add a side or two more—I must give you a Sketch of our politics here—our new parliament is now sitting; all silent as to the fate of Mr Wilkes, who is still in prison:—daily insurrections of thousands & ten thousands in this metropolis, maddened by the gnawing Teeth of famine & distress:—guards & dragoons become our ruling power—firing & killing big bellied women and innocent Passengers in the King's high Road. His
Majy (i e his Ministers) publickly giving thanks to his army for the killings afores d—a sullen spirit prevailing—Oh! Jerusalem! Jerusalem! The measure of thy Iniquity is almost full.