is spiked as if it was to be useless to the day of judgment. Lord, what strange scenes we have had, madness and folly triumphant. Sir H. Seaton sends you the papers, all but the speech and council's address which are not with them. You will hear soon from the Assembly, I believe, they are sitting, and must be moderated, if they should prove too warm. I find you had a detail of our late disorders, by the packet, wrote by our Law gentleman, which I did not then know as we were all in confusion. My regards to Napier, Coll Amherst, Barré &c &c & believe me still Dr Sr Yr Most Aft Humb1 Sert JNO. WATTS. The things are all directed for you in writing. Honble Gen. MONCKTON. WATTS TO MONCKTON. NEW YORK 30th Dec 1765 DEAR SIR, I neither heard from nor wrote to you by the last packet, but I inclosed to my friend Napier to deliver you the first Bill of which you have now the second, drawn by Delancey and Watts on S Sam' Fludyer and Gartners for £100. Sts dated 21st inst at 75 per ct exchange. His honor lately sent me the moiety of a quarter's salary to the 1st of June £225, and said he would settle the whole as soon as he got Mr Banyar's rects, but how he explains the whole, a little time will show, he is in the country. The Assembly are broke up, but have taken no more notice of him or the salary, from the 1st Sept. when the last support ended to 12th Nov" when Sir Harry qualified, than if he had been in tother world (where they heartily wish him) and wanted no salary. We talked to some of the members gravely about it, they acknowledged the reasoning, but could not be persuaded to carry it into practice, the prejudice was so great, they seemed only to lament more was not in their power I proposed giving it to you, they said with all their hearts, not a dissenting voice, but they were afraid of the impropriety of it, still I believe it may be brought about one time or other, when people cool, for he and the Stamp Act at present are exactly alike, without a single friend. The Custom Houses clear vessels out, certifying there are no distributions of stampt paper, which is literally true enough, all of them having resigned, and no others to be found hardy enough to accept, but in this port alone the men of war stop the shipping, unless a few that steal out by night, this sours the inhabitants greatly, and its to be feared Capt. Kennedy and they will be at odds soon, if they are not put upon a footing with their neighbours. You are happy out of the Colony, and out of America too from the ill boding aspect of things, cramping of trade, suppression of paper money, duties, courts of admiralty, appeals internal taxes &c, have rendered people so poor, cross, and desperate, that they don't seem to care who are their masters, or indeed for any masters. I expect to see this City go one day or other, it has looked extremely like it once already, contending for the stamps in the Fort. I believe I may, for fear of accidents, as well send you Mr Drummond's third Bill on the Contractors for £150. St I sent you by an ordinance store ship called the Raven Capt. Scott 22 ult. to the care of Mr Bard an officer in the 22 Regt, a pipe of your Madeira, two barrels Pippins, and two kegs pickled peppers. has paid nothing since I last advised you. The Bill upon Duncan is, I think, made good by another on the Paymaster of Works, who is expected every day from Fort Pitt: we shall know when he gets here. My regards to the Family and to all friends, and still believe me ever Dear Sir, Yr Aft & Humble Sert JNO. WATTS. Pray tell Col. Amherst with my compliments the stamp act prevented his rough rice going from Carolina; I hope he received the corn by Richards the value Lord Holderness's steward may pay to yours if he pleases, to make short work on't. Honb Gen. MONCKTON. WATTS TO MONCKTON. NEW YORK, 20th Jany. 1766. DEAR SIR, This Packet has been so long ice or wind bound, she gives me an opportunity of answering your favour of 9th Nov!, when she might otherwise have been far advanced on her passage. Poor Duke, his death is much lamented in America, more than if half the rest of the gang had tipt, all the good ones are called away, and the bad ones left behind, as if it was designed to increase the measure of their vengeance, but pay-day will come. By the Hope Davis, 6th inst. I sent your Account. I shall settle your affairs, all of them, as well as I can, with the old Highlander who loves pelf dearly, if possible, better than power or a ministerial smile. The man of war, in which the counter order on the appeal is supposed to be coming does not yet make her appearance, though she sailed before this packet. We are come to that pass to be surprised at nothing, but the æra has come when a whole. continent must be better used, or endless distractions will ensue, no attention is paid to them but when a job excites it. Kenmore going to govern Jamaica for robbing at the Havanna. Rogers sent to face a gaol here he just broke out of with a proclamation still open against him. Who governs our neighbour provinces. Lord have mercy upon us, as our friend says, when things are at the worst, they will mend, which I think, cannot be, till next spring, or perhaps Summer or year is over. I always am Dear Sir Yr faithfull and Obliged Humb' Ser JNO. WATTS. We are just come from Council. The Gov! behaves sensibly and coolly, he lets the stamps sleep till he can hear from home. Secretary Conway by his majesty's order has wrote a most excellent letter on the confusions of America, wise, mild, and just. Honb1 Gen. MONCKTON. DEAR SIR, WATTS TO MONCKTON. NEW YORK, 22 Feby. 1766. My last was 8th inst. via Dublin with the first Bill on Treasury for £128, Sts drawn by Gen! Gage, the 2a is enclosed. Your Account will show you how far Pollard has gone in his payments. order he sent on Duncan for £196 9 1 Curr'. Forman says he will pay sixty or seventy pounds of the old contested Bill Pollard remitted on him, these two sums are since the Account, and £60. for the Gimcrack at the Fort I received of the Treasurer. I took this Bill on settling the I have punctually delivered all your messages, Col. Vaughan and Sir Harry Seton are here well. Mr Moore has received the counter order to the appeal, which is very full and does no great honor to his Honour which must chagrin him much, as applause and ministerial approbation is the balsam of his soul-next to pelf. We have been warm and disorderly here indeed, but it is our misfortune as much as our fault, no such things would have happened had you been here, but the extreme aversion to the old man's person and character rooted at the very heart, was a noble stock to engraft the stamp act upon, and it flourished accordingly. The very great regard the people of this Colony universally profess for you, seems to inspire them almost as generally with an idea of having a filial title to your protection and good offices as if you was still their benevolent Governor. In this light Col! Vaughan and I have been applied to for your kind intercession in their favour, by Mr Lot Low (the former Clerk of the Assembly) with Mr McLean, who, they think, has used them rather hardly. The general state of their case is inclosed, the particulars and vouchers lay with Mess Sargent & Co., if, they say, any facts should be if it is not disagreable to you to interpose, and you think their complaint just, they with many of their friends will acknowledge themselves highly obliged to you for any countenance you show them in the affair. They dont, and I am sure I dont, mean to be forward in the matter: it is just putting it in your power, if the thing is not disagreeable to you, to offer a few good |