I have just now received your Favour of the 12th. of April. The Arrets I inclosed to King, to be delivered to you, if at New York, and to 309 be Sent to you if gone to N. England, unless he Should have occasion to use them in Congress.1 I now inclose you some Papers relating to the British Whale Fisheries by which you will see What forced Plants they are, and how easily We may rival them.2 When you have made your Speculations on them will you be so good as to Send them to King.

The issue of all my “Negotiations respecting the Interest of British Debts, during the War,[”]3 and respecting every Thing else, is just nothing at all.— I have done all in my Power to do to no purpose, and I tell you freely, that the British Ministry will do nothing about this or any Thing else untill the States Shall Support their Credit, and regulate their own trade, in a manner that shall shew that it is not left to British Merchants and Politicians to manage as they please. Nor then in my Opinion will they ever intermeddle, or agree to relinquish the Interest. It will finally be left to every Debtor to make the best Agreement he can with his Creditor, or to dispute it at Law, and avoid the Payment of the Interest by the Verdict of a Jury. if the Juries give it against our Merchants, they will never find any other Remedy. As to any Clamour that may be raised by my concealed Competitors, it will do them no good nor me any harm. if they want my Place, and Congress give it them it will be with my hearty Consent, without any Clamour at all. a more disagreable situation than mine no Man ever held in Life and whoever Succeeds me, will not find it more pleasant.

If any one think he can do better in mercy, let him put up, and if any body thinks of any other who can do more let him vote for him in the name of freedom. Old as I am, I had rather draw Writs and Pleas in Abatement than do and suffer what is now my Lot. Making brick without straw, which has been my Employment ever Since I have been in Europe, and is more so now than ever, was never reckoned an easy, or pleasant Task, from the Days of the Israelites in Egypt to this moment. Untill I came to England I was as little apprized as you of the Extent of this evil of Interest. it was too carefully concealed, by American Debtors, untill it was past a Remedy. The time is long Since perfectly past, for doing any Thing in this Country, and another opportunity will never arrive, untill after a long and arduous Struggle.

You and our Friend King, by marrying the two finest Girls in New York, are in a Way to make fœderal Ideas, grow, and may they prosper untill Congress shall have the Power and the Will, to form a System, which shall bring this Country to think. You may depend 310 upon it every Man who expects any Thing from my Negotiations will be disappointed. I am not an Idler. my whole Time is employed to the Utmost of my Strength and Capacity, and to no more purpose, than if I were at Horse Races or Stage Plays, and this will assuredly continue to be the Case, untill the Trade and Revenue of this Country Shall be made to feel the Effect of the Conduct of Congress and the States in regulating their Trade.— if it is not thought worth while to continue me here, untill that Event takes Place, I am myself fully to that mind, and am quite prepared to be recalled.

With great Esteem and Affection, your / Friend

I this day received your Favour of April 8th, and Sincerely condole with you under the Loss of your amiable son. These Afflictions are the Lot of Humanity and so little of the System of which We are a Part is Submitted to our View, that as We never can discover the Reasons of them, they are left only to our Reflections and Submission.

My Situation, would be eligible, to the Heighth of my Wishes, if I Saw a Disposition in this Country friendly to mine, or even friendly to their own true Interests. but the Fact is far otherwise.

To See, as I do the Affairs of my Country every where labouring under Embarrassments; to know that Thousands are looking up to me, for relief, from their distresses, and to have no Power to do the least Thing for their Assistance, is painfull, beyond all Expression. You Speak of Honours, Madam. But what Honours have been decreed to me? Do you Suppose I am honoured in this Country?

The Reffugees indeed, honour me, now and then as you see in the Newspapers.1 You Speak of Affluence too. If I were my own Master and could Spend what is allowd me as I Should choose, I should live in Affluence indeed, but when you consider that I have a 311 Rank to support here that I hold in Trust for others, and that this rank cannot be let down, without betraying that Trust, you may depend upon it, I am driven to my Wits Ends for means.

I know of no change at Braintree or Weymouth in their political Friendships, but one Thing I know, that a good Profession, or even trade is better for the Individual than all Politicks.—2 Our Country will do like all others—play their Affairs into the Hands of a few Cunning Fellows, and leave their faithfull Servants to close their long Glories with a sigh to find

Th’ unwilling Gratitude of base Mankind.3

Yet I dont wholly approve this sentiment. Human Nature is not ungratefull. But while many rate their Merits higher than the Truth, it is almost impossible that the publick Mind Should be exactly informed, to whom they are really obliged. Real services are never held out to View. The Modesty of the Individual, the Jealousy of Rivals, or the publick Interest require that they should be concealed. do you wonder then that ostensible Pageants should be adored, while those who moved the Springs are neglected.— I expect my turn and am prepared for it, in my own mind. My Family and Circumstances are not prepared for it by any means. Yet they must come to it. I always foresaw it and shall meet it firmly.— at least I believe so. I wish my Friend Warren in public Life, because I know he would be usefull there. But his numerous Refusals I am informed, are made Use of, against him, and I really fear will prevail. I expect to be, myself in private Life, very soon, and in his Neighbourhood, And I dont despair of going even sometimes to Plymouth Inferior Court, to get my bread and my Boys through the Colledge. The young Rogues shall not be dissappointed of their Education, if I am obliged to draw Justices Writs to obtain it.4 I am obliged in Europe to Spend immense sums in Support of dignity, but I’le be hanged,5 if I trouble my head about it, in private Life in America.

With Sincere Esteem, I have the Honour / to be Madam your Friend and / humble servant