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Rolls of the three Regiments employed, which with those of the Regiments employed in 1760 'tis apprehended you have receiv'd from Mr. Bollan: and this Evidence from the nature of it, must be deemed satisfactory to persons disinterested (and such the Lords of the Treasury, who are to judge in this matter, undoubtedly are) it being impossible to be imagined that the General Court would throw away the Province money upon persons not employed in its Service. This evidence must appear further satisfactory if it be considered that the Province have in equity an undoubted right to a full reimbursement of the expence incurred by said Winter Service, as the other Colonies did nothing to balance it. The whole expence of the Service per said Rolls is £29,754.9.6. lawful money of the Province equal to £22,315.17.1 Sterling: and the £10,000. stopped being very inadequate to said expence, 'tis not doubted you'll be able to procure the whole of it for the Province. If any opportunity should offer to procure satisfaction for the remainder of this most righteous Claim the General Court relys upon you to embrace it. They would recommend to you to endeavour to procure it out of the grant for 1761, or if the Grant for 1762 should not be made, you might petition the Parliament, that in the apportioning said Grant, this Claim may be admitted. What you think the best method, you will please to pursue.

With regard to your request that your Brother, Israel Mauduit, Esq. may be joined with you in the Commission and Power of Agent, the General Court, altho' they are greatly disposed to give you all the ease and satisfaction in their power, yet think it inconvenient at this time, that there should be two Agents; but shall always kindly resent your Brother's Friendship, in using his Interest for the Service of the Province.

This Letter prepared by the direction of the General Court is sent you in their name and by their Order. I am, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant,

AND'W OLIver.

JAMES OTIS TO JASPER MAUDUIT

BOSTON, February 14th, 1763.

I am to inform you, that agreeable to your request, we have used our best endeavors to have your worthy brother Israel Mauduit, joined with you in the Agency. We once obtained a vote for it in the house, but it being by a bare majority the Council non-concurred; so it was sent down and time gained, and every art used by the Governor and his dependents, to prevent the house from adhering to their own vote. But it would all have been in vain, had not the objection, of the expence of two agents, or a double expence been play'd off. We could not assure the house that no additional expence would accrue, and therefore failed. The Governor, Lieut. Governor and the Secretary were your most strenuous opposers, and all under pretence of a prior appointment or encouragement of Mr. Jackson who I believe will never be agent for this Province. He is not so much as standing Council, tho in one of yours you seem to consider him in that view. It was only recommended to you to advise with that gentleman in matters of law; and even this was done as a Compliment to the Governor. You have notwithstanding any such recommendation a right as I conceive to advise with any other person. It may be your duty in some cases to do so. The Lieut. Governor will be Agent rather than Mr. Jackson. Tho the Governor is made to think that he is a fast friend to Mr. Jackson's election. Some of the Governor's dependents and the Lieut. Governor's tools have gone great lengths not only in abus

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ing your and your brother's Characters; but one of them namely Thomas Goldthwait (called here Secretary at Warr, a new office of our present Governor's creation) publickly in the house of Representatives, upon my mentioning your brother's character and connexions, and among other things that he had the honor to be known to Lord Bute, said, "it was no credit to be known to Lord Bute, for his Lordship was the author of all the disturbances in England,” or words to that effect. We don't know much about the great ones at this distance, but it seems a little strange, to some here, that most of the King's civil officers here, especially the higher ones, make it so much their business to impress unfavorable sentiments of that Nobleman. You will find there is a little paper war commenced here in which I am sorry you are concerned and fear it will give you pain but it was unavoidable. Your great back friends at Court not content with abusing you more privately, at last got published an advertisement pretending to excuse the suppressing a piece relating to the ignorance and incapacity of Mr. Agent Mauduit, the name at full length. This you may be assured raised the indignation of your real friends. The papers are inclosed and need no further Clue. I really fear this poor Province will be undone under the present administration, which is the weakest and most arbitrary that we have known since the Revolution. If either the Governor

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1 "A. Z.'s Piece relating to Mr. Mauduit's being chose Agent for this Province at the Court of Great Britain, and of his Ignorance of public Affairs, we think not prudent to publish; at least not till the Author discovers himself in order to vouch for the Truth of the Facts therein asserted, in case there should be Occasion for it." Boston Evening Post, January 24, 1763. In the Boston Gazette, January 17, had appeared a communication showing how much Mauduit had saved the Province by securing a deduction from the stoppage on a payment from the Treasury on Massachusetts' account, and the discussion of the comparative merits of the two Agents continued in the issues of January 24 and 31. A. Z.'s piece appears to have been printed, but I do not find it in any of the four Boston newspapers of that time.

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could be removed to some better place, and a wiser man sent in his room, that would act for himself, or if the Lieut. Governor could be confined to any one or two great posts, as Chief Justice or anything but Governor in Chief, we might doe well enough. But while he has all the real power of the Province in his hands but the militia a much wiser Governor than I have yet seen must submit to him or live in perpetual broils. Our case is similar to that of New York in Lieut. Governor De Lancy's time who for years made every Governor his dupe or leave the Province. It is to me very disagreeable to trouble you with these things. I have no view to my own interest. My country groans under many oppressions. Many more seem to be impending, which I am sure so gracious a sovereign as ours can never be supposed to permit. We are at a great distance from the Throne, but we conceive ourselves entitled to all the Priviledges of British subjects. The laws of England give us these priviledges, and England will ultimately be hurt by the growth of arbitrary power in the hands of plantation Governors.

I assure myself no such use will ever be made of my letters as to give me the trouble of fending and proving with our Gentry here, but for which I should not care who see them. I am your most obedient humble Servant,

JAMES OTIS.

X HARRISON GRAY TO JASPER MAUDUIT

BOSTON, February 19th, 1763

SIR, Your public Letter of the 27th of October via New York came to hand in due season, the bill No. 101 for One hundred pounds not being included in the 421 and 2 was not owing to any Mistake of my Clerks it not being drawn till after I had sent you an Account of what bills I had

drawn by Capt. Davis, upon looking over the Copy I found I had numberd none of my bills with that number and therefore I prefixed it, to the above mentioned bill of £100 sold to Royal Tyler Esq.

I presume long before now you have rec'd a Schedul of bills drawn on you since the 11th August amounting to 10,558; since which I have drawn only One sett of the 23d December in favour of John Tyng for One hundred pounds. I shall draw for the remainder in a few days. Sir, Your most Obedient humble Servant, H. GRAY.

THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE TO JASPER

MAUDUIT

BOSTON, 22nd February, 1763

SIR, - William Bollan Esqr. the late Agent for this Province having made diverse Stoppages of considerable Sums out of the Parliamentary Grants, without giving any Account or Reason therefor,

You are therefore directed to demand an Account of the said Mr. Bollan of the said Stoppages and the Reasons thereof,

And to transmit such Accounts as you may receive for the Consideration of the House by the first Opportunity. I am, in behalf of the House of Representatives, Your most humble Servant, TIMO. RUGGLES, Sp'kr. SIR, I am directed to forward this Letter to you which I now do. And am Your most Obedient Servant,

ROLAND COTTON, Cler. Dom. Rep.

JASPER MAUDUIT TO THE SPEAKER1

LONDON, April 8, 1763

SIR, - I have the honor of your Letter of the 7th of February, prepared by the Direction, and sent in the name of

1 Mass. Arch., CIV. 249.

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