MHS Collections Online

London 23 July 1774

Dear Sir

I am much obliged to you for
so early a letter. You will find, before you
have travelled through Cardinal de Bets,
an observation of the Prince of Condé, when he
was informed of the abusive charges and
suspicions against him, that the authors
had no other grounds except that, if they
had been in his place they knew that they
would have done themselves what they
suspected him of doing. I am not only
free from any share in the three Acts of
Parliament, but I am also willing to own
that they are so severe, that if I had been
upon the spot I would have done what
I could, at least to have moderated them;
and as to the first of them I have all the
encouragement possible to hope & believe
that my being here will be the means by
which the Town of Boston will be relieved
from the distress the Act brings upon it
more speedily & effectually than otherwise
it would have been. Lord Dartmouth
has more than once assured me that he

[Endorsement]

is of the same opinion and that he should
have been glad to have seen me here, if
he had no other reason for it than that alone.
I wish for the good opinion of my Country
men if I could acquire it without disturbing
the peace of my own mind. Those persons
here; who they have always supposed their
best friends, express themselves as favorably
of my conduct as those who are called
their greatest enemies, and Lord Rockingham
treats me with as much politeness and
makes as high professions of esteem as
Lord North. Although the Town is said
to be empty, my whole time has been taken
up in receiving visits and complying with
invitations from persons of the first rank,
and I have had but little other opportunity for
business, but after next week hope to come
to it.

I am obliged to Miss Murray for her
agreeable company upon the passage
and since we have been in London. She
left us yesterday, but she knows that she
shall be, at any time that will be
convenient for her, welcome at my
house as long as I keep one in England.

If I go down to Scotland, as I intend, I expect
to take my daughter with me as far as
Norwich and leave her a few days at
your brother's house. I am
Your most obedient
humble servant

[Endorsement]