London Jany. 31st: 1770 Dear Sir,

I flatterd myself that long 'ere this I should have been favoured wth. a Line from you, but however discouragding your Silence, I do not hold myself excused from paying you my Respects from this Quarter of the World, where your Advice & Admonitions might have been supposed peculiarly necessary. What Conclusion Sir am I to draw from your Neglect at this perhaps very critical Period? I will not add to the Pain I suffer, a Supposition that would very sensibly affect me.

If we have due Regard to the Person from whom it came, the Observation that "a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand" must be judged to be replete wth. Truth, & is no Way favourable to this Government at the present Period, since there never was a Time known, except a Season of open Rebellion, when Divisions, Discontent & Distrust prevailed in a greater Degree. The Measures pursued since the year 1761 have manifested that instead of Wisdom & sound Policy, Folly & Absurdity have presided at the Helm, & the last Week has proved that their Force instead of being abated by continued Exertion, is rather increased by unremitted Exercise. What I have Reference to, will be too obvious to require an Explanation from me. I do not know but it may be best the late Mode of Conduct should be persisted in, till matters are wrought to such a Height that the Nation will no longer bear the Violation of its dearest Rights. A violent Storm or rather Hurricane is necessary to clear the Political Air from the horrid Vapours wth. wch. it has been so long contaminated & the sooner shall a Crisis is brought on the better it may be for the injured People. Shall they submit to the infamous Tyranny of a despotick Administration. "Angels & Ministers of Liberty defend them. Shall they give up without one Struggle what so many ages have laboured to establish? I rest assured from what I have had Opportunity to notice that they will not. If the small Voice of Petition is not heard, the Thunder of Remonstrance must & will follow.

What will be done for America is still a Matter of Uncertainty that the Duty on Glass, Paper, & Colours will be taken off is the general Supposition, but the Article of Tea is still in the Way, & if at all, will be removed with great Difficulty. I had an Opportunity of being in the House the first Night of the Sessions, & from what was then said by the Ministerial Partisans, I was led rather to hope than to despair. But it is not generally460imagined that any great Good is intended us, indeed if the present Sett continue in, it is not at all to be expected, since a constant Tenor of infamous Conduct leaves us no Room to imagine those Measures will be adopted, wch. would prove a Degree of Rectitude.

But it is a very idle affair to attempt to tell you what is or what is not likely to take Place, the Fluctuation of Politicks being so great, as to preclude any tolerable Conjectures; what is probable to Day, is not so to morrow & what you hear one Minute, is contradicted the next. Thus do I pass my Time in a State of dreadful Suspense, dreadful as it is a Question upon wch. my Well Being, if not my Existence depends; you will therefore not wonder at my Solicitude in regard to a Determination. But however casual the final Issue of this Sessions may be I am fixed in my Resolution to take out no Goods, till I shall see the Way open for their chearful Reception, let the Consequences be as they may to my own private Interest. I think I have not been an Enthusiast in the Cause of Liberty, but I must suppose I should be grossly deficient in my Duty, if I should do any Thing wch. had a Tendency to prevent a Settlement of our present Disputes, upon such a Foundation as no future villainous Administration, should have it in their Power to shake.

I cannot yet determine the exact Time of my Departure from this Place for America wch. I most ardently wish to visit revisit, but my Tarry here will not be longer than I shall judge really necessary, as I am not it is not in my Power to form Connections here, equally dear to me with those wch. I have left with you. I beg your Attention to Mrs. Eliot, as I shall ever consider those my best Friends, who are so obliging as to be frequent in their Visits to her.

Commending myself to your Remembrance I remain wth. much Regard & Respect Dear Sir yr. obliged Friend & humble Servt.,

SAML. ELIOT

Feby. 6. I have wrote Mr. Barrell1 on the State of Politicks very fully, wch. Letter you will undoubtedly see & to wch. you will be pleased to be referred.

RC ; addressed: "To Robert Treat Paine Esqr."; endorsed.

1.

Probably the Boston merchant Joseph Barrell (1740–1804).