really happy that you are at last honorably provided for and independant. May no cloud darken the sunshine of remaining life. I have mentiond what you desird to Capt. Fenton * whose waspish father is freed from the cares of this life, and has left his two daughters without sixpence to provide a loaf of bread. What can be done for them I do not well know, but as the father substantiated claims upon government to a very considerable amount, possibly moderate pensions may be obtaind for them on a dereliction of their proportion of their claims. Something in this way is all that at present occurrs to my son or me to be done for them, but any assistance in our powers they certainly shall not want. I take the liberty of enclosing herewith a letter for my second son, who will be in London I believe about the time this may reach you. I shall not say any thing in his favor, more than he hitherto has never damp'd my most sanguine expectations. Few parents can look with the contented pride and satisfaction which I do on both my grown up sons, and the young one seems to stand as fair for honorable fame, if I may judge of a child's talents. Temple you know, and I tell you with pleasure that he is on the high ground of his profession, lov'd and esteem'd by every one who knows him; and I have had the same character of Tom from Scotland. I must likewise add in justice to my third son, Grenville (for tho he is your heir, I cannot help in some measure calling him my third son) that he will I trust one day make as great a figure in his country as Temple will in Ireland; and he will then I think be the first lawyer in America. Adieu, present my affect regards to Mr Temple. It is hard, methinks, that Mr Jackson, Tracy and [illegible] nephew John should come to Ireland to take passage for America,

*Capt. John Fenton married Elizabeth, a younger sister of John Temple. See Boston Rec. Com. Rep., vol. xxx. p. 16; N. E. Gen. and Hist. Reg., vol. x. p. 75; 2 Proceedings, vol. viii. p. 413.- EDS.

and you will do it from England. If your ship should touch at Cork, will you give me the pleasure of at least seeing you? Could you not regulate matters so as to come to Ireland and be ready when the ship you are to go out in should call at Cork to embark? but I am wishing, I fear, in vain. Adieu again, may you be always happy.

Yours very sincerely.

DUBLIN, April 17, 1785.

ROB EMMET.

ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR BOWDOIN TO THE GENERAL

COURT.

GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE, AND GENTLEMEN of

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

You having done me the honour of electing me to the office of chief magistrate of the Commonwealth, I take this opportunity of declaring my acceptance of it.

I have a due sense of the honour you have conferred, and shall express it more fully as soon as may be after the complete organization of the government.

I have understood, Gent", that several things have, with great assiduity, been suggested to the disadvantage of my political character; and particularly, that I am under British influence. The other suggestions (so far as I have heard of them) are of little importance; but this is of such a nature that I find myself obliged to take some notice of it. I would therefore observe, that an honest man, whose character as such I am conscious belongs to me, cannot take the oath of office required by the constitution and at the same time be under such an influence.

That oath was deemed a sufficient guard against the influence suggested, and my taking it may satisfy you there was no ground for the suggestion. But, Gentlemen, as it is essential to the good of the Commonwealth,

that the people at large and the General Court in particular should have a firm trust and confidence in the integrity of their first magistrate, iny duty to them and to my own character requires that I should explicitly declare at my first entering upon that important office, and I do accordingly declare, that I never have been, that I am not, and (so far as a man can affirm in regard to his future conduct) that I will not be, under any foreign influence whatever; but on the contrary that the whole of my administration shall in every respect according to my best knowledge and ability be conducted by the principles of the constitution.

Though this declaration may be unnecessary with regard to you, Gentlemen, as I am sure it is in regard to those who are fully acquainted with my political principles and character, it may notwithstanding be proper in reference to the good people of the Commonwealth in general; especially as the suggestions abovementioned have been very widely disseminated.

I am now ready, Gentlemen, to take the oaths of office pursuant to the requisitions of the constitution. SENATE CHAMBER, May 27, 1785.

RICHARD PRICE TO JAMES BOWDOIN.*

SIR, I received with particular satisfaction your kind note and the copy printed at Boston of my pamphlet on the American Revolution. Your attention to me in this instance does me great honour and deserves my best thanks. I commit to Providence this attempt to assist the United States in making such an improvem* of their present situation as may render it a blessing to them and to the world. I may be mistaken in many points; but I am conscious of having no other intention than to pro

For a notice of Dr. Price and a large collection of letters to him, see 2 Proceedings, vol. xvii. pp. 262-378. — Eds.

mote according to the best of my judgmt the best interests of society. There has been lately an edition of this pamphlet publish'd in London with a translation of Mr Turgot's letter and some other additions. I have sent a few copies of this edition to Boston by Mr Jackson, who, probably, will be arrived there long before this letter can reach you, which is to be convey'd in a packet directed to two brothers of the name of Lewis, who have for some time resided at Boston and carried on the business of linnen-drapers there. I am informed that these two young men are on account of their coming immediately from Hallifax suspected to be Tories and refugees. But no suspicion can be more unjust. There are few families. with which I have been so long and so well acquainted. The father was a dissenting minister in this country of the best character and principles. He left six sons and a daughter who, I believe, are all of them virtuous and worthy and zealous friends to civil and religious liberty and American independence. The daughter has a large family and makes a valuable part of my congregation. I hope you will have the goodness to excuse me for mentioning these particulars. I mean nothing but to prevent two honest men from suffering by a groundless suspicion; and my principal intention in this letter is to convey to you my grateful acknowledgmts of the notice you have taken of me, and to assure you that, with great respect and all good wishes, I am, S',

Your very obedt and humble servt.

NEWINGTON-GREEN, NEAR LONDON, May 31st, 1785.

RICH PRICE.

I have just seen Mrs Temple. I find that it is probable that you have now received the highest testimony of approbation that can be given by the voice of a free people. Should this be the case, I hope you will pardon the impropriety in my manner of addressing you and accept my sincere congratulations.

ROBERT EMMET TO JOHN TEMPLE.

MY DR S3,- Having recd a letter a few posts ago from Tom informing me that a recommendation had been made to Mr Orde by the minister's desire in my favor, I thought it would be but right to inform M2 Orde of the nature of my suit, in order to his being qualifyd to comply with that recommendation. I accordingly waited upon him yesterday with a memorial for his Grace of Rutland,* stateing all the particulars which I had before mentioned to you, and submitting to his justice and dignity the propriety of encreasing my salary. In the course of conversation wherein nothing definite passd Mr. Orde asked me whether a son of yours did not live with me, and mention'd his having been recommended to his notice by a letter from you and two or three other friends in England, but did not say one word of any manner of recommendation on the subject I was then addressing for, which I own surprizd me as I thought it would be very natural for him on such an occasion to have said "that he had been written to on it, and would with pleasure, or was sorry that he could not, forward my suit," and I thought it but proper to intimate the point to you, least possibly in the very great and unavoidable hurry which Mr Rose has been for some time precipitated in, he may have forgotten, or inattentively express'd the nationally immaterial matter of my suit, which however is to me of very great consequence, being the intended allowance for the poor young physician whose name I have had the good luck of having inserted in the patent with mine thro the goodness of the Marquis of Buckingham. I am therefore to request your hinting Mr Orde's not having mentiond any thing of the recommen

* Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland, was, when this letter was written, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; and Thomas Orde was Chief Secretary. Dr. Emmet held the appointment of physician to the Lord Lieutenant. - Eds.