Documenting the American South Logo
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Henry Eustace McCulloh to Edmund Fanning
McCulloh, Henry Eustace, d. ca. 1810
May 20, 1768
Volume 07, Pages 752-755

[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]
Letter from Henry Eustace McCulloh to Colonel Fanning

London 20th May 1768

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

-------------------- page 753 --------------------
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

-------------------- page 754 --------------------
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

-------------------- page 755 --------------------
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.

Adieu, I am ever thy assured
HENRY E. McCULLOH