Personal Letters of Governor Lewis Morris
Political Letters of Governor Lewis Morris
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Letter to Son John Morris
Morrisania Aprill 22d. 1730
My good child,
Downing is come in. I have a letter from your Sister, who is well & Lewis has one from
Vin Pearse [daughter Mary's husband]. The Secretary of State layd what he wrote before the King who referr'd it as
usuall to the Board of trade and A hearing was appointed but Pearse went into ye Country and
Docminique promis't to get it put off till he came to towne but it Seemes Could not
& pe[arse] being too Ill could not attend but his brother, Capt. Solgard & captn. Norris [daughter Euphemia's husband] did
attend. Collo. commons Espoused Collo. montgomeries Interest and Since he was
Suspended by the Advice of Councill
 Lewis Morris
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Letter to Son John Morris
New York June 12th. 1730
I reciev'd yours wth. very much Satisfaction and am glad you take so well to your businesse.
It will in the End prove to your great Advantage. I opened your sisters letter to her
mother thinking yt. Possibly She might want something wch. I might get her and this
afternoon I have been about buying. Tis now candlelight and about halfe an hour agoe I
learn't that Homes goes tomorrow at three in the morning So that I cannot get you the
weights & ye grindstone you want nor the Rum but I will have all these things to Send you
by the next and there comes by this 6 pound of the nailes you sent for 8 pair of HL
hinges with rising Joynts 4 pair of dovetailes for tables A Scimmer & large frying pan
for the Kitchin. A cleaver I could not get but I'll get one made.
Robin [son Robert Hunter Morris] and that family
Should make A Cellar for themselves & not Clutter up the dwelling house with
their Lumber and Sticks. The room ... should be made a dining room & new floor'd & the
Entry on the N W Side of the House made use of the Other Shut up. I hope in tenn dayes
at the farthest to be with you but I am as yet so much tyed by the legg that I cannot stirr.
I have had so great A cold that I could not Speake Lowder than a whisper but my Voice
begins to returne.
I order'd Ashfield [daughter Isabella's husband] to Send you Some wine but there was none in qr.
casks so it was not done but I'll try to get some. The [mine?] but you make use of A character thus
(18 pounds yr.) wch. I do not understand unless it meanes 18 pound to be paid in a yeare.
I'll bring the bonds as you direct. You must think of Cyder & both preserve ye Apples &
prepare to grind them. That country is Verry Subject to dry Seasons but these God makes &
has given you reason to govern your Selfe According to them and keeping the grounds well
used goes farre to prevent the mischief of them and to the returne will not be so much
as A better season will yield yet it will be as much as can be fairly Expected so that
you will not have any Just cause to blame your self. The weeding of the wheat was
well done and tho Some of it must have Spoilt by breading of it yet the remainder will yield
more for had all that Scruft [wed] out And if you prepared your fallow to [descend] in ridges
and your letter & so I am with Nannys [daughter Nancy]. I hope before winter we Shall make that house bad
as it is at least tollerable. Inclosed is A draft of my Scheme to be improved when I come
to the Seat but it will help your thought. I am too much in hast to draw it. [...]
make you understand it the Square places before the house to
[descend] one lower than
the other as the grounds descends so to go on ye Old [...] & over to the Other side wch. will
make an Entry in front for those that will visit the other till we can get the way moved will break
the hart of ye pipe lighters.
I hope both Nanny and bell are a little reconciled to the
place as bad as tis. It does not want its beauties tho of a differing kind from Morrisania.
Pray God have you all in his protection and give you minds Suitable to the Stations you are or
are to be in. I long to see you & shall allwaies by Your affectionate father [...]
Lewis Morris
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Letter to John Clark, Bookseller
Perth Amboy, May 25th 1739
Sir:
I should be glad to do any friend of yours a service, and believe Capt Thomlinsen a
diligent capable person, but there are two or three things in the way.
One Partridge was Agent before I came to this government, made by the Assembly, by what
authority I know not as yet, and he still continues on that footing without a new
appointment.
2d the thing is such a trifle, -- about 46 pounds Sterl per annum, as to be
worth nobody's acceptance.
3d I am under a sort of pre-engagement to Sir Chas Wager's
secretary, to whom I am in a particular manner obliged, should the thing be in my Gift,
which whether it be or not I cannot at present say. So much for that.
I have underneath sent a Catalogue of Books if you'll please to send them it is well;
but if you do not I shall not be displeased being conscious to my self how dilatory
a pay master you have had of Sir, &c.
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Letter to John Clark, Bookseller
October 12th 1739
Sir:
I sent you by Bryant 110 milled Spanish pieces of 8 which I hope came to hand - Gill
goes this day and I have some Gold to send you by her if I can get in on board; but if
I can procure a bill, that shall come; If it does, add to the bookes I sent for,
Tindal's Josephus, a little book Just publish'd call'd the compleat gamester, a large
quarto bible bound in turkey, guilt & Letter'd; and, if the money holds out, Chambers
dictionary--
I am sir,L.M.
P.S. October 15. With this you have a bill for 22.5 pounds sterling, w[it]h a letter
of advice. The bible should be without common prayer & singing psalmes. I would have
3 sent instead of one. If there be war declar'd, or the commission of reprisalls continue,
insure the bookes sent if you have not sent them before this comes to hand. If the
bookes come to more than the money I'll send the ballance, if to less, I shall
direct more bookes when I know.
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Letter to Governor George Thomas
Febry 23 1740 Trenton
Sir:
The bearer hereof Josiah Quimby, has been long a neighbour of mine in the Province
of New York, he has a very good mechanicall head & has been successfull in severall
projections. He is now upon a scheme of an Extraordinary nature, but will be of
great use and wonderfull advantage especially to these American parts & particularly
to your city of Philadelphia if it succeeds. One part of it is by fire vessells
contriv'd & manag'd in a particular manner to destroy any number of ships of war
comming to attack any sea-port or place scituated on a navigable river, & that without
much danger to the defendants or place besieg'd. The other is by machines of no
great expence to burn the sayles and Rigging of any such ships & rigging will do it)
before, or as soon as they can reach the place. He has a very large share of naturall
abillities of mind, & being a quaker is willing to believe his scheme will not prove
unacceptable to friends, being callculated only to destroy ships and not take away the lives
of men. He has communicated his scheme to me, as I suppose he will to you & Mr Pen if
you desire it, but in such a manner as not to be made publick without his consent. To me,
who have not competent knowledge in the pyrotechnicall science to forme a propper
Judgment concerning them, they carry an appearance of probability; but you may have
some knowing men that may discover their defects or render them more fit for the purpose
intended than they are, should there be any occasion to use them, w'ch I hope you never
will: & am &c
L.M.
To Collo Thomas, governr of Pensilvania
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Letter to Governor George Thomas
Trenton, April 10th 1742
Sir:
If I remember your proposalls at Yates, concerning the letter of your house nigh this place,
they were that you would expend 200 pounds in putting of it into repaire & building of a
wing for a kitchen to lodge servants: & would, so repair'd, let it with the grounds about it
within fence for 60 pounds per annum -- that the lessee might cut his firewood, but not of
timber trees -- that there should be a lease for 5 yeares, & that if I became your tennant,
the lease should determine within the 5 yeares, if either I dyed or his majestie was pleas'd
to remove me from the government. I should have added another condition, w'ch tho' it
may seem unlikely to many that it should happen, yet your experience has shewn it to be possible,
& I believe it not improbable in case those I have to do with take it in their heads,
w'ch I have abundent reason to think them capable of doing, & that is -- withdrawing the
house rent or sallary, w'ch if they do I shall be under a necessity of going to my own house,
in w'ch case it would be hard to pay 60 pounds per annum. [The repairs necessary are then
referred to at some length.]
A notion has obtain'd that it is an unhealthy place; & it may prove so for aught I know;
but I own, according to the best Judgment I can forme, I cannot see any reason for it if
the meadows be well ditched, the cellars be made dry, & more airy, and gutters fitted
to the house. I shall then be inclined to take it if this can be done about or before
the 25th of June next. I shall be willing to take it for three years on condition
before hinted; but as your distance from mine is too great to transact this affaire by letter,
I could wish you would employ some body on whom you can depend to agree with me that I
may govern my affaires accordingly.
I am told there is little timber on your land, & I have observed it myselfe, but there
will be some wanting to repaire & make fences, w'ch should be allow'd for that use when
wanting, & the barne should be repaired.
I am Sir &cL.M.
To the Honble George Thomas Esqr Governr of Pensilvania
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Letter to Son-in-law Vincent Pearse
May 1st 1742
Sir,
I have yours of March 5th with the inclos'd papers relating ot my unhappy (but as I still hope, innocent)
daughters conduct. I shall write you more fully about that when i have made Some farther
inquiry into the Matter. Had these Accusations been made & Examined into in New Yorke where the
transactions were Said to be & while the thing was fresh in memory & the characters of persons prety well knowne
I believe it would have apeard in a very different light (even to you) than it has done & prevented your rashly following the dictates
of an ungovernable impass in hurrying your Selfe and her into Doctors commons; wch. I think, you
Should for your Owne Sake have avoided as well as those indecent expressions you have taken the liberty
to use wth. respect to my female family not waranted wth. anything Said by your Evidences nor
Justifiable to your owne cool thoughts, if such you can have.
But on this Subject time is on another Subject that Very nearly concernes you and my Selfe not a little; It is that on ye.
19th of Aprill there was Judgement given Against you in the Supream Court of New York for all
the Sums Sued for. Those that were your Speciall bayle are Very uneasie. I am counter Security to them &
you know I have nothing to depend on but your honour wch. hope youll not faile to Support in
making me Secure. You have not given your baile and account how this affaire Stands at home
in England & having the effects Seisd in your hands & your bayle Security for them in New Yorke
& I counter Security to them & you out of Danger Seem indifferent about it wch. they Justly
blame you for & think it at best unkind. I need not tell you how much you are bound
to push this affaire & that your neglecting of it is not for your honr. nor will it turne out
for Your interest. I believe you will Soon have an Appeale from these Judgments for I Expect the Council will
give it Against you as they now Stand & if things of this kind are to be taken out of the
admiralty court by Prohibition & prise or no prise to be tryed in the Supream Court of New York
the Admiralty Jurisdiction in these parts will not be of much use; but your
Lawyers there (if you employ any & do not leave things at Six & Seavens) can tell you this better than
Sr. Your Humble Servt.
L.M.
Postscript May 14th.
Since what is Above I have Seen the pleadings wch. were to the Jurisdiction of the Court the matter having been before
the court of Admiralty & upon appeale of capt. Pearse from ye Judgment of the Supream Court &c now depending before the King
& councill & whether the Supream Court of New York would take Cognisance of it, While So
depending & the matter undetermind your Lawyers (as they ought to do) Submitted. The Court
would not allow the plea but took cognisance of the Cause, the Lawyers Excepted to the Judgment,
the court Set A day to Signe the bill of Exceptions. The chief Justice went out of the way & did not
attend. Whether he will Signe it or not may be doubtfull, he ought to Signe what was offred (if true)
& Error will be brought upon the Judgment before governr. & councill wch. I suppose will
(as I said before [I believe] go
Against You, but whether he Signes or not or whether it goes Against you or not I think you Should
Endeavour to procure An Order from the King & councill to Stop all proceedings her till the matter
before his Majt. & councill be determined. But this I submit to better Judgments than that of
your Servant. L.M.
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Letter to Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Trenton, May 14th 1742
My deare Child:
The post being expected every moment, I have only time to tell you that I have receiv'd
your letter and the things by Farmer. The beer was sent most injudiciously to
New York, for there is a vast deale, about 9 dozen & more, wanting & broke, w'ch in
probability would not have been so had they been sent by way of Philadelphia as I
directed; there being water carriage from thence to this place, & but one removall
out of the ship to the boat w'ch would have brought it: whereas at New York, it was
first landed, then carted up the broad-way, then down againe to the water side, then
put on board a boat to New Brunswick, & then carted 30 miles to this place: -- so that
you may Judge how likely it was that any thing of that kind could come tolerably safe.
You knowing the scituation of this place so well, I was indeed much surpris'd to find
beer come that way when I had desired it to be sent the other. You must have ver much forgot
this scituation or you would not have sent it the way you did & subject it to 30 miles
land carriage, which is very deare in this country as well as unsafe, when it might have
come by water for an 8th part of the price & much safer. I hope
you will not commit the like error a second time, but send by way of Philadelphia, & let
the bottles be wired downe (wch these were not,) & if sent in hampers let them be of the best
kind, made of wicker, w'ch may be useful here, but these are not.
I am got to ye 18th may. The post is come and gone. I shall send this by one of the conveyances
that goes from Pensilvania or New York and A duplicate of it one of these wayes. Inclos'd I send
a bill of Exchange for 50 pounds Sterling. It is a Seccond of what I sent before by the way of
Bristoll by one Long or Lang who went hence last February & was not arivd when Farmer
Left England. That 50 lbs Sterling was intended for your Sister Pearse. I then knew not of her
having an allowance of 50 per annum from her husband: but if that letter is not come to hand and
this doth, then out of that 50 pounds first pay your Selfe what is due to you & let her have
the rest if She needs it, otherwise not. How secure She is of having that 50 pounds a yeare paid to
her I know not. I hope propper care has been, or will be taken that She may not be disappointed
in the recieving of it in case She leaves England & that it is Secured to be paid into
Such hands as She Shall direct; for if She depends wholly on his honour in the case it is not
Impossible but She may be deciev'd.
I hope allso that She may not be so weak as to be wrought upon by his Caresses in the private
way he makes use of to give him back the provision he has made for her & run the hazzard of
her being turn'd loose to Shift for her Selfe; wch. may perhaps be the intention of his cohabiting
with her in tht prrivate manner he doth. For I can not see how he well can have any affection
for her, if he believes She has been a whore to Reynolds in the manner She is represented to have
been, by that set of Evidences on wch. he founded his prosecution Against her; and if She is
not guilty of what She is charg'd with (as I hope She is not) I can not See how she can have
any affetion for a man that has Expos'd her in the manner that Captn. Pearse has done or how
She can after that think of living wth. him & bearing his slights & Ill usage & the insults
of his Sisters & his Servants wch. I believe She will certainly meet with though he should live
with her in A publick manner as her husband. I know not well what to Say to this private
cohabitation between them; if it is likely to be productive of a hearty reconciliation in
A small time *& She can be so reconciled) it may perhaps be not amiss; but, if no likelyhood of that,
She has much reason to feare yt. it is intended for her destruction and She ought to guard
Against it as much as possible by avoiding any conversation either wth. him or with Reynolds.
That Reynolds made adressses to her appeares by her letter to betty to be too true;
tho it appeares allso by that letter they were disagreable to her; yet when they were repeated She
was much to blame in not letting her husband know it wch. would probably have prevented
what has hapned; & She Should not have Suffred him to See her nor Seen him but in her
husbands precsence. She is Still much in the wrong in Seeing of him wch. She doth and admits him
to correct her letters; for in her letter to me there are Severall interlineations in Reynold's
hand writing; I know not what Excuse will or can be made for this conduct wch. in the most favourable
construction is highly Indiscreet. So much on this disagreeable Subject at present.
[It's fascinating that these paragraphs about his daughter Mary are NOT in
the 1852 volume of the Morris papers, but only in Volume 3 of the the papers edited by Eugene Sheridan.]
18th May.
I thank you for your bottles & the care you have taken in purchasing my things; but you or I
miss'd in one thing, viz to get silk, buttons and mohair for my cloathes, & therefore
Inclose the patternes that they may be got. There will not need about 5 dozen of coat
buttons, & 4 dozen for the wastcoat, with silk and mohair necessary, w'ch the taylors
can tell how much will do. I send for more than sufficient, because we cannot be
supply'd with as good here in case we should want. I shall not be long in your debt, being to
draw for money advancing here to recruiting officers, who as yet make but a poore hand
of it. I am allso to thank you for your Eider down; I beare the severity of the hard
winter the better for it. Your mother [Isabella Graham Morris] is pretty well, unless now & then out of order.
As to agents, unless the Court is dispos'd to do us service, no agent can do us much:
& I cannot say our conduct seemes likely to prevaile on those at home to do us any:
or that it promises ever to be such as to induce them to it should they ever give themselves
leave to think any thing concerning the Plantations; w'ch, what is call'd, more
important business at home has hithereto seem'd to prevent them from doing, & I suppose
will do, till they can forme adequate Ideas of our consequence to them & the British trade.
Till then, an agent that will deliver our letters & call for and send the answers to them, &
sometimes (but rarely) employ a councill when any thing is upon the tapis in Parliament concerning
us, seems all that is of use in our present circumstances to us; & the doing of this
requires no great abillities to Perform, nor no great sum of money sufficiently to reward
the trouble of doing.
By the publick prints the British affairs seem to be in great confusion; how or when it
will end God only knows. If the ferment subsides, & the true Interest of the nation
prevailes, it will be well; but sometimes partie heats produce effects not intended or
so much as dream'd of by those ingaged in them. Perhaps during this hurly burly the
governments in America may not be thought of, but if the ministry changes it is not
unnaturall to suppose that those employ'd by the last may not be look'd on in the most
favourable light by their successors, and amonst the rest such a reptile as myselfe,
(tho' now treading on the verge of life & far from being an advocate for arbitrary
power,) may be remov'd to make room for some new man that will think this government worth
soliciting for. But as I have given no occasions for any complaints against me, so I
stand so well with the people that I believe none of them are inclin'd to make any, but
if any are made then I am willing to believe every ministry will be so Just as not
to determine against me without hearing my defence. I desire you would learn as
secretly as you can whether any body is soliciting for it, & upon what foot. I need not say
more to you on this head but that, if there are any changes, you would
give me your opinion whether I am likely to stand fair in theirs.
You will make the tender of my sincere regards acceptable to Sr John & Lady Norris, to
whom I wish many happy days. Your mother Joins with me in praying for the same for you,
the hearing of your well-fare being allwaies an addition to the happiness of, my deare
child,
Your affectionate father,L.M.
Eugene R. Sheridan, Editor, The Papers of Lewis Morris, Volume III: 1738-1746,
New Jersey Historical Society, Newark NJ, 1993; p.189-192.
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Letter to daughter, Mary Morris Pearse
May 22nd 1742
My dear child,
I have got Your long letter of the 5th. of march last And am as is your Mother very much concerned at the
Occasion of it. I had one from you before letting me know yt. your husband had cited you into doctors common for Adultery
wch. [gave your mother and my Selfe] was a great Surprise to us & learning the distress'd condition
you were then in I sent you 50 pounds Sterling. Whether it came to hand I do not know but Send by
this conveyance A Seccond bill of the Same tenure to your Sister Morris in case that is not come to hand for
your use if you need it otherwise not. Your husband has Sent me all the evidences of his servants against
you Some of wch. are notoriously falce by all the accounts I have yet got; how far any of them is true you best
know but it eppares by your letter to your Sister betty that Reynolds had made his addresses to you and your not Acquainting the captain
wth. it gave him but too much Incouragement to persist in & continue what he had began; wch. if even if you are innocent was in the most
favourable construction that can be put upon it highly indiscreet & will go farhter to [confirm the
credit] obtain beliefe of what the Evidences Say than all they could Say or Sweare would do
without it. I am willing to believe and I hope you are innocent of what you are Accus'd of; but that conduct
will render it Suspected by indifferent persons much more by a husband; whatever excuses are made
use of for your not Acquainting [your husband] him with it; Especially when its known that you
Still admit him to your presence & to your Secrets as I find you do; for in your last letter
to me I find Severall Interlineations in Reynold's hand wch. could not have been unless you had Giv'n
him your letter. This Shews beyond contradiction there is a familiarity between you that one in your
circumstances Should by all meanes Shun because it will go but too far to give a credit to what is Said
of your former familiar wth. him & that even with your best friend who can not think of any excuse
Sufficient to palliate Such A conduct.
I cannot tell what to make of your husbands cohabitomg wth. you in the private manner he doth.
If he believes you to have been or to be a whore to Reynolds he must hate you & this conduct
Must be intended for your destruction; the houses & places he hires for your abode must be Such
as the people about them are probably Very much if not intirely at his disposall & appointed to watch you &
perhaps to Say and Sweare as directed who may (if Reynolds come there) Sweare to Such
circumstances of A tumbled bed & lying there all night &c as may fix [an Adultery upon] Strong Suspitions Against you: for you Say
pearse comes and goes Very privately wch. I think can meane no good. If he really believes you
innocent I cannot believe he would use you in the manner he does; and if you are really innocent
you must have more good nature or Something elce than falls to every bodyes Share to Admit of any
conversation in that private manner with A person that had us'd you So ill in a publick one &
by doing [of wch. you tempt] so Induce every body to [believe] Suspect you guilty. The Ships
from York go So Soon & I am at Such A distance that I cannot make enquiries time Enough to transmit
them to you by this conveyance. Your Sister Peggy was constantly wth. you & sayes that all
concerning Reynold's being so well is falce. I have Shewn the papers to your brother & white and
expect their answers. I have wrote to Ashfield about Henderson who I believe did not like
Reynolds & I suspect the Story of the Slightnes of the wound & taking opium comes from him but there are Other
people of as much credit as Henderson who can Speake to that. I shall get all that can be Said
as Soon as I can; but whether it will be of any use to you may be A question Since the matter is gone So far.
How secure you are of the 50 a yeare is allso A question with me; for if you have no more than
his honr. for it, if you come into this country & draw bills [they] he may perhaps protest them.
I therefore hope you have taken Such propper care on that head that it may not be in his power to
hinder you from the money but that you may be Sure to have it go where you will: if you have not done this
you Should do it. Doctors commons will allow your clothes and compell [oblige] him to maintain
you according to his quality I believe at a bettr. rate yn. 50 pounds Sterling A yeare. Tho you have been
Very Indiscreet wth. respect to Reynolds in concealing his attempts & hiding this matter both from
your mother & me, yet if you are (as I hope you are) innocent God of his Goodnes who never fail'd the
good that trusted in him will in his owne way carry you thro all your difficulties and defeat the contrivances
of your Villanous Adversaries. You Should by all means Avoid Reynolds for however Innocent
you may be few will think you So if he is admitted to your conversation & Secrets. Severall
have Observ'd in him a haughty carriage in the captns. house [he has been] & (as is Said) [Imprudent in the same manner]
to his fellow officers in the Ship. This gave them A generall distate against him. They
[could not] too readily believ'd he durst not have taken those liberties he did in the capts.
house unles he had been admitted to greater familiarities by you than he Should have been.
I can't learn what the Captn. has done with respect to the Seisures made here. I am counter
Security to the baile he has given in New Yorke & have depended Solely on his honour. There is Judgment
given Against him in New York in all the Actions he was Sued by Cumins wch. will ammount to above
1500 pound. This will fall upon me unles he takes Some more care than he has done to Secure me.
Pray let me know as well as you can yt. matter Stands in England & what is become of it.
For it is an affaire that gives No Small uneasiness to my poor child Your affectionate
father
L.M.
Your Mother cannot write. She gives you her blessing is Very much concernd at your afflictions
& hopes you do not deserve them.
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Letter from Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Bois near Cheshem in Bucks June the 15th 1742
I have Just heard that our governor's to Sail in a few days, which gives me an opportunity
to thank my Dearest father for his kind letter of the 14th of Decembr. Last with which I received
a duplicate of your bills, & Commissions with a bill Drawn upon Barkeley & Company for the use of
my Sister Pearse.
I must observe to you that there is Some things in your last directions,
which you did not mention in your first, which is the reason you have them not with the rest of
your things, which I sent by Farmer, insured as you ordered & hope long before this, got Safe to you.
The Dorchester beer Did not Come time enough to goe with the rest of the things, & when I came
out of town I left directions with Mr. Saint to send it to you by the first Ships to Philadelphia;
& to write to you with it because my being in the Country would prevent my knowing when it went, & hope you have
had it by this time, & that it proves to your Liking. It is Cheeper than wine, & you know it will goe a great way, when you
entertain your Parliment, towards making them what they expect to be, Drunk, but I hope next year to be
able to send you some of my own brewing. I Send you inclosed the Brewers letter from Dorchester, which
gives you an account of the whole Charge.
Your Bill upon Barclay was duely Paid, but the money still
remains in my hands; & had you not mentioned it in your letter to my Sister I should have kept it
for her, 'till she was mistress of herself.
I wrote you a very long, & very perticular account of her affairs in my last; & refer you for further perticulers to the governor.
It is impossible to tell you the real Concern her missfortunes have given me, & the unwearied pains I have taken to serve her, & am Sorry for her sake
I have not Succeeded better. As to maintaining of her it is what her vilain of a Husband wanted her friends to doe,
but that I think is a favour he is by no means deserving of. The Law obliges him to Support her according
to his Circumstances, & I have often told her it was her own fault if She wanted any thing, for that every thing She denied
herself was giving so much to his wicked relations, who was her greatest enimies.
When he put her into the Commons, I engaged my neighbor Upton (whom I recommended for agent for
New York & Jersey,) to undertake her Cause. He is not only well versed in these matters, but
takes great pleasure in serving the destressed & was extreemly diligent in her affairs, & procured
her the best Councill in england. In these Cases the first thing the Commons doe is oblige the
Husband to render an account upon oath of his circumstances, & they allot what they think
proper to support the wife, during the sute, & oblige him to pay the Charges on both sides, &
oblige him to return her all her wearing apparril, & so very favourable is the Law to the Ladys,
that she might if She had pleased drilled on this sute to the end of their lives, & have Carried him
from Court, to Court, 'till she brought him to the Court of Delagates, which is the last resort, which
would have ruined him.
When he found what he had involvd himself in was very willing to put a stop to it, but was fearfull
she would not Comply (as she might have refused if she pleased). He Came sniveling & Crying to me,
how much he loved her, & if he Could be secured she would not Come upon him,
he would put a stop to the procecution, & prooposed a seperate maintainance if she would accept it.
I for my part of this time pityed him at my heart, & thought it was better they should agree it than
ruin themselves at Law, & be beggers at last. She accepted his offer, but I refused the security.
Well after this I brought them together, & things went on very lovingly beetween them. This
gave me so much pleasure that my mind was enough at ease to get Some sleep that night, which I could not before.
The next day he went privately to see her, & spent the day with her. In the evening they both Came to me.
He beggd I would not refuse to be security which was no less than a bond of 3000 pounds to indemnifie him,
that that, & the Deed of Seperation was only to please his brother, that they should be Cancelled the next day.
I cant Say but I was a Little Suspicious of Him, but Chid myself for that thought as he seemed so much in
earnest, & as I would not be Backward in any thing that might serve them I Consented, & the papers were
ordered to be drawn. I told him as I did not understand Matters of this kind I insisted upon
Mr. Uptons being Concerned for her, which was Consented to, but I Should tell you that when he promissed to Cancil the
writings he assured me he would live with her, & that it Should be all over.
When Mr. Upton Saw the papers he Disaproved of them, saying he was now in her power, & that
when they were executed She would be in his, that he thought Capt. Pearse did not act with
plainness, that this seemed to him a Scheem to secure himself. He talked extreemly well to the Capt.
telling him he was the best Judg whether his wife had ever been wanting in Her duty to him, or
had discovered the least Coolness of affection which he acquited her of. He then Said why
wont you make yourself easie, & as you love her live with her, which indeed is but doing of her Justice,
& I Should be glad to be the means to reconcile you, for says he I will take Care that the Characters
of your servant, shall be fully proved in Court, & there evidences invalidated, & dont doubt
her wife will be acquited, & you will be despised by all honnest men, for encouraging Such a Pack
of vilains against your wife, whom every body speakes well of but not being able to prevale with the Capt. to live
with her, he said the next step was in prudence to seperate, & as Mrs Pearse had no friend here, & had applyed
to him, he would doe her Justice, if she would act as he would have her. The terms he insisted on for her was that
he stopt the procicution against the man in westminster Hall, because that was wounding her throw his sides,
that he should make her some reparation for the injury he had Done her Character in siting her in the Commons for so Black a Crime
as Adultry, & that he should give her amply security for the payment of what she had Consented to take
as a seperate maintainance.
The Capt. refusing these terms, Mr. Upton told her she ought in Justice to her Self to make it up on no others, for that he was sure he Could
not mean well to refuse what Common honnesty obliged him to. That he advised her to let the procicution go on, unless she could bring him
to her terms, for that he could not put a stop without her Consent, & that he woudl Stand by her threw out the whole. That her Husband would soon be tired with
paying Lawyers, for & against him self, & would be glad to Come to her terms.
The Capt. had found a way to
blind his wife, & both together found a way to blind me & as I had promissed to execute the bond, & not doubting but that he would
perform his promise of Canciling, & living with her. Behold, we excicutes the writings Contrary to
the good advise of my good friend Upton, for which we were both a Couple of fools.
Well this affair turned out Just as Mr. Upton had propheside. At last with the help of Mr. Clinton, & with great difficulty, I got my bond Cancelled,
his Cohabiting with her of Course Cancils the Deed of Seperation, so that leaves her without
any tyes. This point being gained, & it being prety plain, that his whole behavior was a trick,
by his not preforming his promiss & refusing to do her Justice, notwithstanding that he had
received so many accounts from america in her favour, & living with her in that Clandestin dirty manner, I thought
it High time to let him know my sentiments, which I wrote you in my Last.
It is impossible to tell you
every instance of his deceit, & baseness, & one would think that she had seen enough to Convince her,
that she was to expect nothing from him, but what she could Compell him to by Law, but such is her weekness poor woman,
that She Can't think so, tho I have used all the arguments I could perswade her, to use such means,
as she had in her power to take Care of herself.
She does not know half the fategue I have had, or
the pains I have taken to serve her. I could never prevale upon her to go to Sir Charles, to beg his assistance
tho I had paved the way for her. I represented to my Lady Wager the vilainy of her Husbands behavour, &
with great pains not in some measure removed the prejudice they had taken in the affair, by her
suffering her Husband to Come to her in the manner he did.
I mention this to let you see I have done My duty as a sister, & more than every body said they would have
done in my Case, for I had an ill natured world, & many difficultys to Struggle with of my own, & the addition of
her missfortune which I was no ways accessing to, was some times almost too heavy for me. I was not without
meeting with many Sensures upon the occation & perhaps my thinking so Contrary to her, may draw Even
her Sensure upon me, but I have the pleasure to know that I have done every thing to the best of my knowledg
to serve her, & am sorry I have had no better success.
I have given her my opinion very freely, & my advice very sincedrely, I have Also told her the sentiments of
all her friends, but she thinks differently from us all, & you know we can none of us act for her.
As for taking the whole Charge of her upon my self it is what I could never think of tho' nobody more inclined
to be generous than myself, & tho' I know she, & many more, think I role in money yet I must own to you
my abilities would not allow me the expence. But if I had ever so much, I would not do it whillst She had any thing to Say to him,
& so I have told her, because that would be doing him & not her a service.
I suppose you will hear from her many perticulers of her own affairs. She has taken a little house
in London & he Continues to Come to her in the same private manner. I am sure She will never have an easie mopment whilst She
lives with him, & in this point we agree, & yet it is not in my power to perswade her to insist
upon seperating & having a mantainance Secured to her, which She Can by Law oblige him to, & as I am
sure he will not at his death give her a sixpence, I could wish you would interpose in the Case.
The Concern this affair has given you & my Dear Mother has added greatly to mine, but the thoughts of
her being innocent lessens the affliction, & I must beg that you will let that give you Comfort, &
especially when you Consider that this whole affair is owing to their own imprudence,
which would too often mistakes it for one.
His proceedings in this affair has shewed excessive rashness, & monstrous bad Principals. She poor woman, from over honesty,
want of Judgment, & excessive ignorance of the world, has drawn the sensure of her friends upon her, tho it was not an easie
Matter for them to Credit any thing ill of her, but this she imputes to their thinking wrong. However his ill
treatment of her have opened their eyes, & she might still regain their good opinion, if she would, but I cant
perswade her to see any of her friends. I took great pains to doe her Justice to them all, & threw the odium
where it ought to be, on him, for her sake, as well as the rest of the family, & had She Joined
with me, all the world would have been on her side.
I have now finnished two Sheets upon a very disagreable Subject, & had it not been in obedience to your
Commands, should have left it to Mrs. Pearse, as I have many more letters to write than I can
possibly get ready to you with this. I am extreemly glad to hear from my brother of the good
agreement between you & your assembly. It is the opinion of your friends here that you Should get what
you Can easily, & avoid as much as you Can differing with them, for the great world here, is all turned topsi
turvy, & great Confutions in the State.
... [political discussion]
I have Such a pleasure in Conversing with you that I don't know when to leave of, & therefore
hope the length of this will excuse me to those I cant write to now, for it is impossible to tell
you the pain I suffer when I use a pen. For my eyes are so weak that I can hardly see to doe
any thing, & writing makes them very painfull. For the Same reason I cant read or use a needle
so if it was not for my Spinning wheel, I Should be wholly Idle, which is what I abhor, but the fategue
I have gone throw as a nurse, & the tears I have shed for my beloved friend has quite impared my Sigh,
but I hope a regular Country life with the help of the wholsome air will quite restore me my sight.
|
Letter to son, Lewis Morris, Jr.
Kingsberry December 23rd 1742
Lewis:
I had yours wth the account of the intended marriage of your daughter, which, as
things are now circumstanced, seemes to be an advantageous match. And I hope
will prove both to your satisfaction and theires, if his resolutions continue,
wch may perhaps admit of debate, if the father & mother be not satisfied in ye point
of fortune. However, that I leave. As to 200 pounds, it is more than I can spare,
if not more than needfull or perhaps consistent with your present circumstances,
to give for what is call'd an outset; & if you suffer your selfe to be govern'd in that
case, & provide all that silly women will think necessary, convenient, or honourable,
it may be twice 200 pounds will not serve the turne: but wth this I
have nothing to do, you are the best Judge. Robin [son Robert Hunter Morris] tells me I am in your debt 72 pounds
or thereabouts for money advanc'd for me. I did not think I was in your debt, or that
it would prove so when thoroughly examined into, but be that as it will I will spare
you 100 pounds on this occasion, for which I speak to James Graham [father-in-law] to let you have when
the wheat there is dispos'd of, & send me your receipt for 72 pounds advanc'd or whatever
it is. This will be better than giving bond to me or any body else, w'ch should in all
cases (if possible) be avoided, as being a slow but fatall pest that not only destroys
the persons it sceises but too often descends to Posterity, & to be assured that you
are free from the infection would be a great pleasure to
Your affectionate father, L.M.
|
Letter to Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Perth Amboy Decembr 13th 1743
Wrote to Mrs Norris to send the following bookes, guilt & Letter'd on the back, viz
Lestranges Josephus, Hudsons Josephus, the Late Lord Raymonds Reports, Bacons abridgment of the Law, Rapins history of England with Tindals Notes, the best edition. -- A dozn of water plates of good pewter -- Wrote to her ye 5th March and added Whistons Josephus & Du Halds history of China.
|
Letter to Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Kingsbury Aug 26th 1743
My Deare Child:
My last to you was on June 7th, via New York, wth a bill of Exchange and coppy of an
Invoice, which I had sent in the Decembr before; w'ch I believe came into your hands,
because about a week ago I reciev'd for Mr Saint the body of the chaes, [chaise?] & the
things sent for except the trusses, all safe & in good order. The ship has been a long
time expected, and her safety was doubted of *** Your mother has been very well *** and seems
likely to continue so, but the last spell of hot weather has been very troublesome to her, and
has caused her to break out wth boyles, which, tho' wholsom, gives her great pain
& uneasiness.
Your brother Robin has been since the beginning of June mostly in Connecticut Collony,
by virtue of a Commission from ye King, Empowering the Governour & Councill of New
York & Jersie, or any five of them, to determine a difference between the government of
Connecticut & Mohegan Indians. I heare he is well, & that I may expect him every day.
As for myselfe, my sore leg is well. And I am in good health, tho' old, being nigh 72.
I have not heard from you by any of these last ships, w'ch gave us all great uneasiness;
and in such cases we allwaies suspect the worst. But Mr Saint in his letter wth the things,
w'ch I did not recieve till about a week since, let us know that you had been unwell and
was gone to Bath for your recovery, w'ch was attended with success, and he expected you
in Towne in a little time, where you would stay some small time to write to your friends on this
side of the water. This gave us much satisfaction, tho' his letter was of an old date,
viz the 13th of May last: so yt we live in Expectation of soon hearing from you.
But no ships sailing as yet from you, & Mr Clinton, tho' long expected & not coming,
it begins (not without reason) to be much doubted whether he will come at all: so that there
is no hopes of having any letter from you till the arrivall of the fall ships, when I hope
you will write fully, for allmost every thing you can write will be news here.
I would be glad to heare how Sr John & Lady d[itt]o, & how Sir Charles Wager does, & how
you still stand wth Sir John & Lady Norris & the girles your sisters. I was in such haste
in Decembr that I gave you but a short account of my conduct wth the last Assembly. I have
since that Printed some observes upon their votes; those & my Speeches to ym comes
inclos'd, recommended to ye care of Mr Saint, who I have directed to send to you wthout the charge
of Postage; & I would be glad to know if you can [tell me] how far what I have done is
approved by my Superiors. They will find at least one of their Governrs Proof against
a bribe. ***
Your being much out of Towne, my giving you the trouble of purchasing such little Knacks
as we want I am afraid is inconvenient to you. I have therefore wrote to Mr Saint to get a
few bookes for me &c which please to pay him out of the money in your hands of mine.
Make not my compliments, but the tender of my sincere regards, acceptable to Sr John &
Lady Norris, your mother's and my blessing to Mrs Pearse & to yourselfe puts an end to
this, from, my deare child,
Your affectionate father,
L.M.
To Mrs Norris.
|
Letter to Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Kingsbury Jan'ry 22 1744
My dear Child:
I recieved yours of ye 3d of September on ye 25 of Decembr. Lewis sent it to me from
York, and at ye end of his letter tells me the cart had Just Brought him a box marked
L M and desired to know what he should do with it. One would think there was no need
of such a question: however I wrote to him to send it to me. I have allso wrote to Robin on ye
same score, who is at York, & sent to him your letter directed to him w'ch came to my hands
in his absence. I sent both these letters to New York by undoubted safe hands, but as yet I
have heard no more of the box, nor know not what is in it nor by w't ship it came, nor
what freight is to pay for it, otherwise than by a small scrap of paper enclos'd in your letter
which is as follows viz
| To paid Clark for sundry books sent | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| To Durand & Confer water plates | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| To a Case 3 sh and Charges | 0 | 15 | 6 |
| To a steell truss | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| . | 18 | 3 | 6 |
This neither tells me what the books are, nor the number of water plates, nor what
the charges are for, nor by whom sent, nor what freight I am to pay; so that I know not where
or of whom I am to Enquire concerning it, but am very much in the Dark about it.
The case is much the same about the beer you were so kind as to say you would send, &
which you write me you have sent, in a Vessell Chartered to sail in Aprill but
waited for Convoy till the End of July or beginning of August: But having no bill of Lading
nor any manner of account, either from you or any body else what ship the beer was put on board,
nor where bound, know not whether she is arriv'd or not, nor when nor how to get any
information about it: no such thing as yet being come to hand nor any account about it, but
that in your letter which I believe upon second thought, you will think a very imperfect
one. I know very well that it is time of war, that ships notwithstanding their being
Chartered are subject to the restraint of Princes, that they may be much longer before
they leave their Port than expected: and when they have left it may be taken by the Enemy
or Lost: But unless some method is taken to let us know what ship it is, things are
shipped on board of, (whether taken, or lost, or arriv'd) we are in the dark; and
know not how to Enquire any thing concerning it, for which reason the mercantile men
have severall bills of Lading signed & sent by severall Conveyances, & if you or any body else
had sent me one of these in Either of these cases, I should have known how to Enquire about it
w'ch at present I do not.
While I am writing this, Mr Read our deputy secretary, Come in & on Enquiry what ships
were Chartered to leave England in Aprill, tells me that one Seamour & one Mesnard were
both Chartered to leave England at that time. Seamour arriv'd some time in November
last, but that Mesnard did not leave England till some time in August and arriv'd in
Philadelphia about a week since. By him I receiev'd a packet from our Agent Partridge, but
have no account of any things sent in Mesnard to me Either from yourselfe or Mr Saint.
I have directed Read to Enquire about it. ***
Your mother is sometimes very ill *** the last attack she had was in September w'ch
we all fear'd would carry her off, but since she has been very Easie. ***
She has been my Constant Companion in my Chamber, w'ch I have been forc'd to keep for
nigh two months and keep it still. I was taken ill in August last in my Journey to Amboy
to meet the Assembly, Occasioned as I Judg'd by Eating some oysters out of season. This
kept me two or three days at Mr Antill's, but I got so far over it as to meet
the Assembly at Amboy; and at their desire upon their faire promises, adjourned them to
Burlington. [He further narrates his ailments -- but under treatment had become better];
& by the help of flip w'ch Governr Clinton (by Lewis who came to see me) recommended, as
what prov'd beneficiall to Commr Kempthorne, I was (as myselfe & most thought) in
a pretty faire way of recovery. But having all this while to do with an Ignorant perverse and
obstinate Assembly who, notwithstanding their faire promises, Came predetermined to do
nothing, I was forc'd to dissolve them, and being oblig'd on that occasion to go down staires
got a most violent Cold & Cough w'ch held me long & reduced me to skin & bones; but I got
over that, and have for some time pass'd eat wth a pretty good appetite & have recovered
some flesh and strength; but have got a fresh Cold but am as yet without loss of appetite
and there is hopes of my recovery.
Your mother is my Affectionate & Constant nurse, & it is well for me that she is able
to Endure it. She is in good health and looks fresh & well. She cannot sit down to write
but desires to be affectionately remembered to you, and is allwayes glad to heare that you are
well; & she cannot be more so than I am & shall be when I heare of your heath.
I hope this will find Sir John and his Lady in good health in the midst of these
troublesome and turbulent times. If I have time I will write to him by this Conveyance.
Your brother Robin is at York. Both your brothers and sisters are well and Continue
dutifull & affectionate to their Parents. I intend to recommend this to the Care of
Mr. Saint, and with it will send a representation made to me by the Councill & I hope you
will take Care that he is at no Expence for postage. By this representation you'll
guess at the State of our affaires. I shall meet, if my health permits, a new Assembly
this Spring; but if they Continue the resolutions of the past not to suport the
Government unless their termes are comply'd with, of making 40,000 pounds current in bills
of Credit, the Governmt is like to Continue without support, & I must be
forc'd to remove to Tinton and live as well as I can unless the Ministry interpose to
reduce them to their duty. This they may, and I think it their interest to do so. But that
they will do is hardly expected tho' much hoped for, and desired by, my dear Child,
Your Affectionate father,
L. M.
P.S. Janry 26th. I last night reciev'd the box I mentioned, marked L M from Brunswick,
in which was a parcell of Corks, a box of Salt peter, a bible for peggy & the Spring truss, these
I sent for. There was allso 8 box combs & a comb tray; who these belongs to I know not.
But there was no water plates, nor books, as mentioned in your letter, and I know
not where they are nor where to enquire about them. I do not remember my writing for
any box combs, tho' I did Intend to do it; therefore if these box combs are for any body
else let me know, that they may be sent to the right owner, & send me a dozen of the best
box combs and a comb brush: let ye combs be the best and finest that are made, and some
better care taken to let me know who they come by than there has been about the other
things said to be sent.
P. Script. March 19th 1744. This letter was sent to goe by the Queen of Hungary, one
Hilton master, who is not yet gone, but will saile some time this month. Betty has sent
for the combs and has them. I am so far recover'd that I Intend to meet our Assembly at
Amboy ye 28th of this month. The family here and at Morrisania are well. Your
mother gives her blessing.
Yours,
L.M.
This duplicate goes by Mesnard from Philadelphia.
|
Letter to Governor George Clinton
Kingsbury May 23rd 1744
New Jersey recognizes it may be necessary to go to war.
Sir:
I have yours of ye 28th Inst. I believe the French are not Ignorant of the vallue of the Northern Collonies, and it's
not Impossible may make some attempt upon some of them; but I question whether they can spare
force sufficient to Endeavor a Conquest of them, that seeming to me to be an attempt too big
for them at this distance; & while we should be upon our guard as much as we can, Especially
to render any attempt on us unsuccessful, and I should be glad we were better provided for it than we are. I shall order
what force is nigh you to assist you, & indeed all the force I can raise if there be occasion; but these forces must eat;
and there must be convenience of transporting them, and there will be a necessity in such cases
for Expresses very often; for all which previous Provision should be made by Assemblyes. Those I have to do with will not be
easily perswaded to any thing of that kind tho' necessary; and yours (I am afraid) are not much better;
However I shall willingly do all that is in my power to give you all the Assistance I can on any
such Occasions, & by short prorogations will keep ready to meet on the first sufficient notice
of a rupture. I am, Sir, yours very heartily.
L. Morris.
To Governr Clinton.
|
Letter to the Duke of New Castle
Kingsbury May 31st 1744
It's WAR!
The Quakers are going to be tough.
They excommunicated a judge
just for saying self-defense is okay!
My Lord:
I yesterday Reciev'd your Grace's of ye 31st of March last via Boston, wth his Majestie's
Declaration of war against the French King, & his Majestie's Declaration for the Encouragement
of his ships of war and Privateers. I caus'd them Immediately to be publish'd, & sent Expresses
with them to be published in the other parts of the Province. I allso sent an Express
to Governour Thomas of Pensilvania, with the packet & publick letters directed to him, and those
directed to the Governours of Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, & to ye Captaines
of his Majestie's ships there. I have, in expectation of his Majestie's declaration of war,
continued our Assembly by short Prorogations, and intend to meet them on ye 22d of this month,
to try if I can previale on them to put the militia into some better condition, to make it
as usefull as may be on occasion; and shall be glad if the influence the
Quakers have amongst them do not Prevent it. Their excommunicating a Chief Justice of the
Lower Counties of Pensilvania who thought selfe defence lawfull, and press'd it as necessary, I feare
will have no good effect upon those of them that are members of our Assembly. Inclos'd I send
for your Grace's amusement a printed account of that affaire lately made publick, and am, my Lord,
Your Grace's, &c.
L. M.
To the Duke of New Castle.
|
Letter to Daughter Euphemia Morris Norris
Kingsbury, near Trenton, June 3d [1744]
My Dear Child:
I have yours of March 4th 1743-4 and am glad to find by it that your health continues
after the recovery from your late illness, which I hope will prove in the nature of
a seasoning of you to yr climate, and be a meanes of preserving you in health; & hope the
Country you are retired unto is a healthy one and safe from Robbers, -- if a lonely
family can be so in the country, especially with a woman at the head of it. You have
made a choice that I much approve of, the very Expensive town, London, & I hope
your farming will not only prove a delightfull & healthy amusement but of benefit to you,
at least will not be a Loss; This much depends not only upon having some skill in affaires
of that nature yourselfe, but in having good and faithfull servants, (w'ch are rare to be met with so
nigh London) and Employing few of them.
I am in some sort in your Condition, being in
a place of Collo Thomases about halfe a mile from Trenton, for w'ch I give 60 pounds pr
annum, it is a very healthy & a pleasant place. We have all had our health very well
since our being here; as for your Mother's illness that would have happened any where.
*** Our house is good and not one chimney in it smokes; & we live much more private here
than at Morrisana. We have two cows w'ch affords us milk, cream & butter during the
summer; and I intend to get two more & Try what I can do for the winter. I have not
yet got into plowing & sowing, having but little ground, and that but ordinary
& much out of order; but shall try a little at it when I get it into something better
fence, which I am doing. Your mother [Isabella Graham Morris] amuses herself with a brood of turkeys, fowles
& ducks w'ch she has about her, & now & then some one of her children comes to see her.
Mrs. Graham [Arabella Morris Graham] is now here with her youngest son, a fine healthy good humoured boy.
Isabell Hooper is allso here, who seemes to be a discreet good humor'd girle, & Peggy [Margaret Morris Willetts]
is allso with us who has had a touch of the fever & ague which has for some time left.
She is very positive, abhors the barke, & being, or pretending to be, a sort of a
doctress, will be her own Phisycian. Your brother Robin [Robert Hunter Morris] is at Tinton, and wth a little
experience of his own, by the help of Jethro Tull & some other bookes of husbandry, setts up for a
Connoisseur in farming: grows fond of it and practises with tolerable success. Your
brother Lewis has been very ill of the Jaundice, but is recover'd; and I'm told is now
pretty well; is in the Assembly, and has been of great service to Mr Clinton. He has two
sons at the Colledge at New Haven, Lewis and Staats; Richard I educate, and he is allso
there at the grammar schools, and I am told is a promising youth; his daughter Molly,
married to young Lawrence, has a daughter and is call'd a very good housewife and a very
discreet young woman. I suppose that from Robin, or some of your sisters, you will learne the
state of the rest of the family; so that I will returne to your Mother, who now sits
reading in the window it being the 3d of June and her birth day, Just entred on ye 72 yeare
of her age *** and is in good health now. ***
You tell me in yours that you had sent me a hogshead of your beer, & that Mr Saint would
ship the things I wrote for, & I should wth your letters receive a bill of Lading for them.
I thank you for the beer; & when I recieve it shall often remember you in it; but as yet I
have no such bill of Lading; nor any account by what shnip, or to what place these things come,
or are to come. Your living in the country renders you in a manner unable to transact
business of this kind, w'ch is very forreigne to what you are ingaged in; & for that reason
I fear troublesome to you, & I feare too trifling for Mr Saint's notice. Perhaps
you will be surpris'd when I tell you that the tapes, silks & ferrets were all the
worst of their kinds; the silk was only fit for marking, the bobins very coarse; the
tapes sent for typing up papers will do, and that's all; -- halfe a dozen pieces of
tape were pretty good, but the dozen pieces of plain tape bad & fit only for typing of papers;
the pinns and needles were good. I believe had you bought these things yourselfe we should
have had the best of the kind; for such only we should send to England for.
I am glad to heare poor Lady Wager is well; pray when you see her make the tender of my
kind regards acceptable to her; I hope Sir Charles has left her in a condition above
dependance. I hope also this will find Sir John and Lady well, and that you stand in good
termes with them both and with the whole family. I'm sorry the storms hindered him from
engaging with the French & plucking those Lawrells which it is very likely he would have done
on that occasion; pray give my humble service to him & her when you see them. You say nothing
to me of your sister Pearse [Mary] in your letter; however unfortunate or imprudent she is,
or is suppos'd to be, yet she is your sister and is a very affectionate one, & I hope will allwaies
have your regards. I write to her by this conveyance, and if she can think of coming over I
shall take care of her. I pray, if you can, in your next send me some account of her & her husband,
for to heare that she has her health will be some satisfaction to,
My deare child, &c.
Your mother Injoins me to give you her blessing. She is not able to write, or at least
'tis very troublesome to her, w'ch is the reason she doth not.
To Mrs. Norris.
Mem. Sent to her for 24 gross of the best velvet corks, 50 lbs of the
best Salt Peter and a quarto bible for Peggy.
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Letter to Governor George Clinton
Kingsbury June 10th 1744
I'll do what I can, but it won't be easy.
Sir:
I have yours of ye 28th Inst. I believe the French are not Ignorant of the vallue of the Northern Collonies, and it's
not Impossible may make some attempt upon some of them; but I question whether they can spare
force sufficient to Endeavor a Conquest of them, that seeming to me to be an attempt too big
for them at this distance; & while we should be upon our guard as much as we can, Especially
to render any attempt on us unsuccessful, and I should be glad we were better provided for it than we are. I shall order
what force is nigh you to assist you, & indeed all the force I can raise if there be occasion; but these forces must eat;
and there must be convenience of transporting them, and there will be a necessity in such cases
for Expresses very often; for all which previous Provision should be made by Assemblyes.
Those I have to do with will not be
easily perswaded to any thing of that kind tho' necessary; and yours (I am afraid) are not much better;
However I shall willingly do all that is in my power to give you all the Assistance I can on any
such Occasions, & by short prorogations will keep ready to meet on the first sufficient notice
of a rupture. I am, Sir, yours very heartily.
L. Morris.
To Governr Clinton.
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Letter to Lords of Trade
Kingsbury June 11th 1744
I really fear the Quakers will intimidate the Assembly.
My Lords:
With this conveyance there is sent to yr Lps duplicates of the acts of Assembly, minutes of
Councill and answers to your Lps queries. I reciev'd on ye 9th from his Grace the
Duke of Newcastle his Majestie's declaration of war against the french King, which I have
published. I intend to meet our Assembly on the 22d following, with intent to prevaile on them
to render the militia more usefull if I can; but the treatment of a
Chief Justice in the Lower
Counties of Pensilvania who attempted to shew the necessity of doing so there, I fear will
intimidate any members of our Assembly who are of that perswasion, or such as they can influence,
from giving in to any thing of that kind here. I send Inclos'd an account of that matter lately publish'd
for your Lps perusall & amusement, and am, my Lords, &c.
L. M.
To the Rt honble the board of trade & Plantations.
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Letter to Governor George Clinton
Kingsbury July 14th 1744
I told you so!
I had to dissolve our Assembly,
but I'll try again in August.
But no promises!
Sir:
I have reciev'd the Honr of yours of the 9th Currant, w'ch was given me by my son,
who tells me yt you & your Spouse & family were in good health, w'ch I was pleas'd to heare; and that your
meeting wth the Indians and treating wth them has been finish'd to your satisfaction. I believe they
are not unacquainted how necessary we think it to be in good termes wth them at this time, &
are not ignorant how to make an advantage of it. I cannot say much to the proposalls
of the gentlemen of New England. They perhaps have had powers or Promises from their
Assemblies, to carry what they should agree to into execution, & when we have sufficient assurances to be able to make good
our engagements on those or such like heads, they are not unworthy consideration; but till
then are rather points of speculation concerning what should, or ought to be, than what
can be.
I send you one print of our proceedings here the last sitting of our Assembly,
w'ch I met as soon as I could after recieving his Majestie's declaration of war; &
you'll
see wth what effect. I Intend to meet a new Assembly about ye 16th of August next: & I
have not any great reason to believe it will be wth Better success, while those call'd
Quakers have any Influence.
Pensilvania is in much the like condition, & I feare our enemies know it too well. They
have there a popish chappell & numbers of Irish & Germans that are papists; and I am told
that,
should the French land 1500 or 2000 men, they would in that Province soon get 10 or 12
thousand together, w'ch would in such case be not a little dangerous to these and the
neighboring Collonies; & in my opinion seems to make it necessary for the ministry to take
some thought about us; & do that for us w'ch its plain we refuse here to do for our selves.
I am,
Sir, yours with great regard,
L. M.
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Letter from Governor George Clinton
Kingsbury July 23d 1744
I know. I know. Just do what you can.
Sir:
I have your favour of 14 inst., being left by the Colonel with the Chief Justice, in his way
home, so I have not seen him.
The Gentlemen from Boston had a Commission from their Governour of 8 June, by and with the advice
of their Assembly, to treat with me, & the Neighbouring Governments, upon Measures, either Jointly
or Separeately, for annoying the Enemy in the Present War, which I think is a sufficient
power, to concert with them, & execute what may be agreed upon.
I have met our Assembly, & have recommended to them, int al, to raise Supplys to enable
me to give me the like powers, and I think it a matter of so great a Consequence, that it should be
immediately agreed to; they come in slowly, and what may result from their weighty
Deliberations, when together, time & patience must discover.
I am writing away for England by way of Philadelphia that I have not had time to look
into the Proceedings of your last Sitting, but question not that your reasons are well grounded
for dissolving them; I wish you better success in your next, when I hope the stubborn sett
will not prevail, agreeable to their Cursed Principles.
The encouragement of Popery in these Colonys may have very dreadfull Effects, and I am told,
those call'd Moravians are of that Principle, and are attempting to seduce our Indians from
their Fidelity. I think some method should be taken to suppress those numerous itinerant
pretenders to this & that sort of Religion, which may cloak their zeal for that which is
destructive to us.
I shall hint to you occasionally, what is doing, while our Assembly sitts; in the mean time
I am, very truly,
Dr Sir, your Excellency's
most Obedt Humble Servant
G. Clinton
His Ex'cy Lewis Morris Esqr.
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Eugene R. Sheridan, Editor, The Papers of Lewis Morris, Volume III: 1738-1746,
New Jersey Historical Society, Newark NJ, 1993.
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Copyright © 2002, Mary S. Van Deusen
