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mass Archives 2.2

WILLIAM BOLLAN TO ANDREW OLIVER

LEICESTER SQUARE, [London,] February 12, 1762.

SIR, Having for a Considerable time been indisposed, tho no farther prevented from doing necessary business than by confinement, a Member of parliament who is my intimate friend, called and informed me that they had granted to the colonies for their last year's expences, in raising troops, two-thirds of the sum, which had been annually granted for several years past. This grant of £133,333. 6s. 8d. upon the report of the committee was made by the house on the 26th of January in the usual Form.

Having lately had the honour of Receiving a letter from the secretary written in the name, and by order of the General Court, I sent an extract at large, of what was contained in it, relating to the loan made to the Province by General Shirley, and their payment of it, with copies of the treasurer's affidavit, and other papers transmitted, inclosed in a letter to Mr. Trecothick, who has from the first conducted this affair on behalf of Tomlinson and Hanbury's; 2 and having since received an answer by letter from him, I send inclosed a Copy of it.

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After diligent sollicitation and repeated promises of particular information given me, by the proper person, I am not able to say when the exchequer orders will be paid off. Last week an intelligent gentleman on my behalf, made strict inquiry at the exchequer. The proper officers there made this answer, "They do not know when these orders" will be paid, but believe it will not be longer than

1 Barlow Trecothick, once a resident of Boston. He married, in 1747, Grizel, daughter of Charles Apthorpe.

2 John Thomlinson and John Hanbury, agents in London of the province of New Hampshire.

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two Months, and it may be within "less than one month." There is a previous order comes from the Treasury to them "for the paying of them." Altho' much better in health I shall not venture out for some time, the greater part of my illness having proceeded from going abroad too soon; and therefore I purpose next week to write to Mr. West to hasten the payment, and to know the time of it, if possible. A letter in this case will probably be of more service than my personal attendance, as thro' the Multiplicity of affairs, and his consequent hurry he sometimes forgets part at least, of what has passed upon an application, and I have known him on some occasions, communicate my letter to the lords, altho' not written in the form requiring it; and a gentleman who is so well known to him, that he is sure of speaking with him, has kindly promised me that he will attend him, for an Answer. Many of the persons to whom the bills of exchange drawn by the Treasurer are payable, pressed by the general distress arising from the great scarcity of money, encreased as it should seem by the particular state of their affairs, make so many enquiries and urgent applications some of them being no way to be satisfied, that they leave me but little rest either by day or night.

In order to prevent the proposed check of the Province legislature by requiring a suspending clause in their acts, I desire to recommend to the General Court that such persons as they shall think proper may enquire what annual acts, and such occasioned ones as required immediate com

1 On May 5 Bollan wrote: "Since my last the Exchequer tallies have been paid, and the money received very nearly disposed of, some delays having arisen by part of the bills of Exchange being after presentation negotiated by those who presented them, and again by their assignees, without giving me any notice, whereby they came into the hands of unknown persons, and the proper course of payment, pursuant to the order of presentation of the bills, has been thereby embarrassed." Mass. Arch., XXII. 241.

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mencement have heretofore passed; and that it be considered in what instances the intended check would affect the welfare of the Province, with the inconveniences and damages which will thereupon ensue, as far as they can be foreseen; for, in my opinion, human foresight is not equal to the difficulty of foretelling all the future occasions wanting immediate relief, which the mutability of human affairs may produce, or the damages consequent of the province's wanting power with present execution when they shall happen. However little may be said of this affair I desire that the whole may with Care and circumspection be examined, considered, clearly stated, and transmitted.

No power1 is come to hand relating to the Province's part of the Parliamentary grant made last year, for the expences of the year 1760, nor any proofs of the number of

1 This power was given by the act of April 24, 1762. The report of the Committee which framed it, and the amendments in the writing of Bowdoin, are in the Mass. Archives, xxII. 236, 239, and the act in its final form is in Province Laws, Iv. 536. It reads, of course, in favor of the new agent, Jasper Mauduit.

April 19 a motion was made in the House and seconded that "William Bollan, Esq., be dismissed from his Agency for this Province." It was referred to a committee James Otis, Jr., Thomas Cushing and Jeremiah Powell - for a "proper vote thereon." The committee reported the same day and the vote read: "That William Bollan, Esq., Agent for this Province at the Court of Great Britain, be and he hereby is dismissed from his Agency there; and that the Secretary be directed to write him accordingly." That vote was sent to the Council by Colonel John Phillips, Thomas Foster, of Plymouth, Brigadier Timothy Ruggles, Colonel Jerathmeel Bowers, Captain Thomas Goldthwait, James Otis, Jr., and Major Thomas Morey. On the following day the House sent a member, John Bradbury, to enquire of the Board "whether they had passed upon the vote for dismissing the Agent of the Province," and soon after a message was brought by Brigadier Isaac Royall that the Board had concurred in the vote. On the same day it was laid before the Governor, and again the House, now approaching an adjournment, showed impatience, sending a committee of five - Royall Tyler, Colonel Richard Saltonstall, Joseph Sayer, Captain Williams and Captain Saunders to wait upon his Excellency, "and desire to know of him, whether his Excellency had given his Consent to said vote." On assurance that action would be taken "timely for the choice of another Agent this Session," Friday the 23d was appointed for a joint election, and on that day Jasper Mauduit received a majority of the votes. Journals of the House of Representatives, April 19-23, 1762.

ter-tenants,1 freeholders, on the lands claimed by Lord Stirling and others. His lordship when he went away said he should return about this time. I have not heard of his arrival; but there are others here concerned, of whom greater apprehensions may be had; tho' I cannot think there is any considerable danger attending this affair, provided due care be taken of it. I am with the greatest respect for the Hon'ble House of Representatives, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble servant,

Martis, 26 die Januarii, 1762.2

W. BOLLAN.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that a sum not exceeding one hundred thirty-three thousand, three hundred thirty-three pounds, six shillings and eight pence, be granted to his Majesty upon Account, to enable his Majesty to give a proper compensation to the respective provinces in North America for the expences incurred by them in the levying, cloathing and pay of the troops raised by the same, according as the active vigor and strenuous efforts of the respective provinces shall be thought by his Majesty to merit.

This resolution was agreed to by the house.

June 14 Bollan received the notice of his dismission from the province service, with directions to turn his papers, records, and accounts over to his successor, Jasper Mauduit, and to give him such information on the state of the province's affairs in England as was necessary. The papers were delivered June 22.

1 For terre-tenant. The occupant of land.

2 Taken from Mass. Archives, XXII. 227.

mass Archives 22

WILLIAM BOLLAN TO THE SPEAKER

LEICESTER SQUARE, [London,] March 15th, 1762.

SIR, Many powerfull reasons having a long time called for a thorough examination, in order to a full proof and firm establishment of the original, inherent, and just title of the English subjects, who planted the English colonies in America, to the Rights, liberties and benefits of the state, whereof they were members, when they prosecuted this noble enterprize, and of which, by their great Expence, toil and peril, enlarging the dominions for the common good, they continued perfect members, and from whom of course these rights descended, to their posterity, a plan has been formed for accomplishing this work in the most serviceable and effectual manner; and the first part of it being carried into execution, the copies accompanying this, are transmitted for the consideration of the Hon'ble House. As the establishing of the native equal and permanent rights of the colonists against all Opponents, would, in the author's opinion, be extremely beneficial to them, in many respects, it would be a particular pleasure to him to contribute to the accomplishment of it, and he is very desirous to do his best for that purpose; but it is to be observed that the facts and arguments necessary on this occasion to be collected, stated and used, and which must be examined and made with such care as to stand the attack of the most acute objectors, are so very numerous and various, and many of them so difficult in their nature, that the completion of a work of this kind, will unquestionably require great leizure, labour and application; wherefore, considering the state of his health, and affairs, he doubts whether he shall be able to execute his own designs, tho' he is not

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