Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
I sailed from Boston the 5th. Instant & arrived at Philada. the 14th.1 I immediately Apply'd to Mr. John Mifflin2 with yr. Letters & understood of him that yr. Cards were all sold at Vendue. I shew'd him yr. Order upon him for your Effects, upon which he immediately offered either to deliver me the Money or to make Returns to you according to my directions, but considering that he will charge 5 pct. to deliver to me as if he shipped to you, & considering the Vendue Man's Commissn. as also the poorness of the Sales to support all these & some other Charges, I choose not to act as a Factor, but rather as a Freind, especially as I can be as serviceable to you in that Capacity as in the other. As to the poorness of the Sales, I have industriously enquired into it & cannot find but it was unavoidable. The Town is full of English Cards, & tho' every Body cryed up the Goodness of yr. Cards yet the Market being Glutted, no Body would give the Value because they will not fetch it again, for as before they were dead in one Man's Hand they now are dead in a great many's. As for Returns, I have laid my self out to find Something, which might in Some measure Retrieve the Loss. Cocoa has been plenty & cheap, but now is scarce & on the rise, I belive I have seen all the Cocoa that is in Town wch. is not a great deal. I can find no quantity of any but Cyan Nuts3 & for them they ask 4£ 10, to 5£ which will by no Means do. Iron is 23£ pr. ton and 5£ OT. frieght. As for Sugars they are plenty they may be bought from 40/ to 45/ but then you know there will be a Bond to be given by the Shipper & a cancell Bond (unless there be Goods142on board before) & an Import at Boston; but whether any of these will do better than Flour at 13/ 1 know not. I design to go to New York, I understand that Cocoa is plenty & Cheap there. If good Cocoa could be got cheap I believe it would Answer well for you, but whether it will be prudent to carry yr. Money there in order to purchase Cocoa I quire, because if it could not be got to advantage, their Flower is not so good as this, and how this Matter is I shall inform my Self if possible. I shall do Nothing without Consideration and in as much as nothing could have been shipped by this Vessell so I have not been hasty in my Conclusion. As for Mackril the Town is full of it, I have stored mine & expect to get 20/ for it. English Goods are plenty & much cheeper than at Boston. I like Phila. Indifferent
RTP noted in his diary on Sept. 3, "This day agreed for a Passage to Philada. on board the Brige. Charming Polly Capt. Wm. Millings. Comr." On the 8th he noted, "This Morning Sat sail for Philada., had an easy & pleasant Passage of 8 days."
William Mellons (1707–1755) was a Boston mariner. The Charming Polly cleared Philadelphia for Boston on the 25th (RTP Diary; Pennsylvania Gazette, Sept. 26, 1751).
John Mifflin (1715–1759), a Quaker merchant of Philadelphia, later a member of the provincial council in 1755. He was the father of Gov. Thomas Mifflin, president of the Continental Congress, 1783–1784 (Charles P. Keith, Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania, 1733–1756 [Philadelphia, 1883], 362).
Probably cayenne pepper pods.
I am safe arrived at Philada. & in good health as I hope you & yr. Family are. I have been to Mr. Vanderspiegle1 about the Hops & he tells me that they were So bad that he never could sell but one Bagg of them & the Man that bought them is broke. The rest lay by him yet, but are intirely turn'd to chaff. I have not seen them by reason that they are in a143Chamber & the stairs are broke down. He tells me that he will write to you by this Opportunity. I design to go to New York, before I return home. My Duty to Father, Love to yr. Wife & sister & little Nabby. I am yr. Brother, Freind & humble Servt.
William Vanderspiegle, a Philadelphia merchant.