requesting your Blessing and Prayers, and a Contin[ua]nce of your Regard and Correspondenc[e]. I am, Dear and Hon'd Uncle, your Dutiful Nephew and Humble Ser't.,

H. P.

P. S. My Dutiful regards attend my Aunt S[ingleton] my Uncle and A[unt] C[ooper], my Love to my Cousins. I write to aunt C[ooper] but am at a loss for a direction. I have directed to her at Coopers Hill near Limerick. I pray you to favour me with a perticular direction for yourself, as also for her, for fear my Letters to her in which I request it should miscarry. Nov. 10, 1774.

Henry Pelham to his mother

DEAR AND HOND. MADAM,

1

In my last to you from Philadelphia I informed you that I should sett out in a few days, when I expected soon the Happyness of seeing you and my other Fr[i]ends in Boston in Health and Peace. Mr. Mifflin 1 a Gentleman of great influence in the City upon my arrival there was so ingaged with the Congress of which he was a Member as this precluded him from giving me (which he was much inclined to do) an introduction to Governor Penn2 and his Collection of Paintings, which is very great and Eligant, and to Governor Hamilton's3 and Judge Allen's Family. These Gentlemen [are] the first in America for fortune and Character, and highly distinguish'd for their love and Patronage of the Polite Arts and Artists, and who have it very much in their power to do me a Kindness either here or in Europe. I thought it imprudent not to be introduced to, espe2 John Penn (1729-1795). 3 James Hamilton (c. 1710-1783), of Bush Hill. 4 William Allen (c. 1710-1780).

1 Thomas Mifflin.

cially as it was offered1 for these Reasons, and at the earnest solicitatio[n]s of Mr. and Mrs. Startin, and by the advice of Doctor Morgan, who much interests himself in shewing me every mark of Civility in his Power, I have been induced to make my tarry at Philadelphia a fortnight Longer than I at first intended. now I have the Happyness of presenting you with my duty from this place which is abov[e] half way between Philadelphia and Boston. Yesterday and today I have begun 20 Guines worth of Buisness here, the Heads and hands of which only I shall finish here, and send the Pictu[r]es home to finish the other Parts. I have found it extremly difficult to procure meterials here for oil Paint'g, but have after some time got them. I have only time as the Post is just setting out to recommend myself to your Blessing and Regard, and after present❜g my Duty to you, and Love and Compliments to my other Friends and Acquaintanc[es] to subscribe Dear and H. M. Your dutifull Son and affection'e Servt.,

H. P.

I dont expect to remain above a fortnigh[t] in this Place. indeed am certain I shall not, and am pleased in having Company a Son of D. E. home with me, which is very pleasing upon the Road, Especially this season of the year.

Nov. 18, [1774].

DEAR SIR

Henry Pelham to Charles Startin

N[EW] H[AVEN], Novr. 21, 1774.

The very solitary ride I have had for a few Days past forms a very disgusting Contrast to the amusing Scenes I have for

1 Erased: "and could not well be refused."

? New Haven.

some weeks past enjoyed, and makes me remember with redoubld ardour and Regard the agreable Company I left at Philadelphia, in whose Conversation and Friendship I recently took so much Pleasure. The kind manner in which It was desired prompts me to take up the Pen with peculiar readiness to acquaint you of my arrival here, but Gratitude more immediatly commands it to return you and Mrs. Startin those thanks which I shall ever think due for these kind polite, and very friendly marks of attention and Regard I have experienced from your Family since I left home. accept my sincere[s]t thanks, and believe I shall ever seek and ever think myself happy in Opertunities of shewing the gratefull sence I entertain of your civilities and of retur[n]ing the Obliga[tion] I am under. I have had six of the most disagreable days I ever spent in my life. But of this I dont complain. considering that a motley Mixture of Pain and Pleasure is Mans lot, how unreasonable how absurd would it be to repine at four [six] unpleasant days when I have just finish'd as many Week[s] which I shall ever rank among the Happyest of my Life. The weither was very fine and pleasant during most of my ride. the last day it clouded up, and I had not arrived here half an hour before it rained very smartly and so continued for 24 hours. a Days confinem❜t upon the Road would have made me quite Malencholly News I can collect none, in Boston; every thing Remain[s] quiet, but God only knows how long they will continue so. in New York people are very uneasy at the Proceedings in Your City. nobody can find the reason of the Carolinas Exporting Rice.1 many there

1 In its "Association," October 20, the Continental Congress pledged its members to export, after September 10, 1775, no "merchandise or commodity whatsoever to Great Britain, Ireland, or the West Indies, except rice to Europe." Journals of the Continental Congress (Lib. Cong. ed.), 1. 77.

th[i]nk it will oversett the whole scheme, and be productive of general Murmering and discontent. Some late procedings in this place are the subject of altercation but it would perhaps be deemed improper in me a Stranger here to enter into a Detail of Perticulars; but if proper might be unsafe. for tho this Lett[e]r is directed to you and intended soly for your perusal, there is no knowing who may take the very innocent Liberty of peeping, and then we well know they claim unbounded freedom of Publishing/further that it can not be justified upon any principles that so far from distressing Great Britain it is entirely calculated to ruin the town of Newport by throwing that valuable Branch of trade into the Hands of the Merchants at Liverpool and Bristol. While I am writing this I hear that the town of Newport is in the greatest Confusion owing to the proceedings of Congress, perticularly the part respecting The African1 Trade. many of the merchants seem much inclined to refuse obedience to their determinations. nay say they will if York should, tho they dare not be singular; say that their Deligates 2 have sold the Town to gratify the Quakers of Philadelphia. this is intelligence you may rely upon and which considering all Circumstances gives me much uneasiness. Should the Continental Association be broke thro it will still tend to prolong that unhappy dispute which is so subversive of the publick Tranquillity of this Country, and is so inimical to the private Peace of its Inhabitants, will deprive us of a fair trial of

1 Erased: "the slave." The "Association" further pledged the members of the Congress: "We will neither import nor purchase any slave imported after the first day of December next; after which time, we will wholly discontinue the slave trade, and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor will we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities or manufactures to those who are concerned in it." Ibid., 77. Newport was the leading port engaged in the trade.

2 The delegates from Rhode Island were Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward.

its utility, and will not save us from any disagreable Consequences which may arise from the Resentment of Britain to that measure.

The smallpox is among the Troops in Boston. this calls to Remembranc[e] the pleasing event of Mrs. Lees recovery from that disagreable Disorder, and from the as disagreable apprehension of it, of which I sincerely congratulate her; to whom and Mr. Lee I beg my respectful Compliments may be made. I shall ever think myself Honourd in Your Friendship and Correspondanc[e]. my affection[a]te Regards ever attend you and Mrs. Startin. I conclud[e] with requesting a line from you. wishing you and Connections every Happyness attendant up[on] the Happiest, I am, my Dear Friend, your affect. and oblige[d] Hum. S.

DEAR SIR,

[No signature.]

[Charles Startin] to Henry Pelham

PHILADA., Decr. 3d, 1774.

I duly receiv'd your much esteem'd favour from New Haven of the 20th. Ulto. and should have answer'd it sooner, but have been confined with a severe Fit of the Asthma. You much overrate the trifleing Civilitys shewn you here. believe me sincere when I say that much more was due to your merit and the esteem I hold you in. it will always give me real pleasure to render you any acceptable Service, and I hope you will command me with the Freedom of a Friend.

I wish I could send you any News but we have none here worth relating. Politicks run extremly high indeed. Our Lords and Masters, the high and mighty Committee Men, have now enter'd upon their department to put the Non Importation