Sir,
It is with the greatest Concern I find myself under the Necessity of informing you, that the present alarming State of Affairs will no longer justify my entertaining Hopes that our Trade will be restored to its former Situation, by the Requisitions of the Continental Congress being duly attended to and complied with in this Session of Parliament; the Association must, consequently, be strictly adhered to. In Compliance therefore with the first Resolution thereof, and circumstanced as we now are by the violent Resolutions of Government, I have laid aside all Thoughts of being able this Spring to execute the conditional Orders for Goods, sent me by many of my Friends last Fall.
Under the Faith of the Fourth Resolution of the Association, I have ventured to send my Ships out in Ballast, in Confidence, that by the favour of my steady Friends, they will return loaded with Tobacco, consigned to me as usual; and I have strictly enjoined all the Masters of Ships in my Service, to pay due regard to the Sixth Resolution of the Association, on Pain of forfeiting all future Employment by me.
The tender Regard paid to the Interests of the Merchants of this Country, by the Continuation of Exports from America for a limited Time, after our Friends there have precluded themselves the Benefits and Conveniencies of all Imports from hence, is an Instance of Favour to them, for which they will not be ungrateful; and I take this Opportunity of acknowledging the due Sence I have of the particular Advantages that will result to me from the Justice of this Resolution; the Wisdom of it is highly extolled by all the Friends of America, because it puts it in their Power to refute the Calumnies of such as have insinuated, that Intentions were formed by some of withholding the Debts due from the Colonies to Great Britain.
Impressed with the deepest Anxiety for the grievous Distress with which not only the Colonies, but these Kingdoms, are threatened, the Merchants of this City have not upon this Occasion been wanting in Duty to their Country, their Friends, themselves, and Posterity, by using every justifiable Means in their Power, to prevent the Calamities with which all are threatened; and if they have hitherto been unsuccessful, they are not discouraged, but will continue to take every Opportunity that may offer of using their utmost Endeavours to obtain Relief for their Fellow-Subjects in America, and to establish Concord and a permament and cordial Reconciliation between Great Britain and her Colonies, upon which the future Prosperity of both ultimately depend; and they have Reason to hope that these great Objects are still to be attained.
I flatter myself, that notwithstanding all the Insinuations of the Malevolent or Interested, a Doubt has not been entertained by any of my Friends, of my Readiness to concur in every Measure that shall appear expedient to the general Body of Merchants and Traders, to be taken in Favour of America: a Moment's Reflection must carry Conviction with it to every disinterested Person, that the Prosperity of America is evidently so intimately connected with my own Interest, that a Suspicion cannot remain, that I could recommend or adopt Measures destructive in their Consequences to my best Friends, and ruinous to myself. I also flatter myself, that the same Spirit of Unanimity with which the whole Trade here are disposed to adopt every Measure tending to the general Good, will be communicated to their respective Friends with you; and that however fashionable it may have been to depreciate the Reputation of one, with a View to exalt the Credit and promote the Interest of another, that such illiberal Practices will henceforth be exploded, and all Animosities cease; this, at least, is my earnest Wish; Calumny and Detraction have never had my Sanction; and I trust, that my Business, which has so long been established upon a better Foundation, does not now require the Aid of so weak a Support. I acknowledge that I have always been willing to promote a laudable Spirit of Emulation in the Trade, in Hopes that the obvious Benefits resulting to my Correspondents from such a Conduct, would be attended with good Consequences to my own Interest.
It has been suggested to me, by some my Wellwishers, that they were not without Apprehensions that it would be dangerous to put any of their Property in the Power of Government, by shipping it to Great Britain during the Existence of the present Troubles; I therefore think it incumbent upon me, before I solicit the Favour of their Consignments, to undertake, which I hereby do, to indemnify all my Friends from any Risk they may apprehend their Effects consigned to me will be liable to after their Arrival here. Upon Application to Mr. Charles Grahame, Merchant, at Lower Marlborough; Mr. John Dorsey, Merchant, at Elkridge; or Philip Richard Fendall, Esq; at Port Tobacco, who have the Direction of loading my Ships, the fullest Satisfaction may be had that I have Property sufficient in the Country to warrant this Engagement, and guaranty all my Transactions.
The Assurances I have received from many of my Correspondents, who now owe me Balances, that no public Dissensions will influence them to forget their Duty to Individuals, give me Reason to expect that they will, upon this Occasion, exert themselves to make me all the Remittances in their Power, by the Return of the Ships. I do not wish to draw more of my Property out of the Province, than will discharge every just Demand that can be made upon me here; and that I have not the least Doubt of being enabled to compleat. And should public Affairs continue to exhibit the melancholy Prospect of a total Stagnation of Trade, and consequently deprive us of the Means of promoting and continuing our Friendship and Correspondence for any Length of Time, I have no longer any Incitement to reside here, and I doubt not but many of my Friends will be glad to see me in the worst of Times. The Produce of the real Property I have in the Country, will enable me to spend the last Stage of a Life amongst them, which has been so long dedicated to promoting a mutually beneficial commercial Intercourse with the Tobacco Colonies.
It is impossible to say what Prices Tobacco may command at this Market next Fall: that will greatly depend upon the Prospect we may have of a Continuation of a Supply from the Colonies, and in some Measure upon the Steps that are likely to be taken here in American Affairs, in the next Session of Parliament; and it is yet to be hoped, that they will be favourable to the Restoration of our Trade, because by that Time our Rulers must feel that this Country has every Thing to lose, and no Advantage to hope for, by this unnatural Contest with their own Subjects. This is certain, that the Sellers will struggle to maintain inflexibly the present high Prices, and take every Advantage of the State of the Market, and of the Apprehensions of the Buyers that the Means of Supply will be cut off, to advance them still higher.
I beg Leave to recommend it to you, to get your Tobacco ready as early as possible, that you may run no Risk of being disappointed in getting it shipped off before the Period fixed for the Termination of Exports.
The Favour of your Assistance to dispatch my Ships, will be doubly esteemed as an Obligation this Year; and you may rest assured of my Fidelity, and that I shall consider your Interest as my own, in the Disposal of whatever you are pleased to commit to my Care at this critical Juncture.
I am respectfully, Sir [&c.]
