Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1772 April 6

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1772 April 6

Robert Carter Nicholas, Treasurer of Virginia, letter to John Norton, merchant of London, England. Nicholas writes concerning Virgininia's efforts to procure copper money for use in the colony.

MS1936.3.638
Folder 57

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Ink on paper

Page 1

Virginia 6^th. April 1772

Sir.

My Lord Dunmore, our Governor,
some Days ago laid before the House of Burgesses
the Earl of Hillsborough's Letter on the Subject of Copper
Money; the House of Burgesses have express'd their Obliga:
tions to the Noble Earl for his kind Attention to their Wishes
in this Respect, & have agreed to adopt the Plan he
hath been pleased to propose in every part. We all
think that Currency half pence coin'd at the Rate of 60 to the pound
Averdupoise will suit best, & that £1000 st.^g, exclusive of
Costs & charges, will be enough to make the first
Experiment with. I must therefore beg the favour
of you to procure this Sum of Copper Money, to
consist wholly of half pence, & send it over, proper:
ly insured, to me or the Treasurer for the time being,
by the very first Opportunity. The Mistake in my
former Letter arose entilrely from a Misapprehension of
Lord Hillsborough's Letter & the Papers accompanying
it; The President & Council, as well as our Speaker
& myself understood that the 52 half Pence to the Pound,
Mention'd in the King's Warrant to the Mint, were of ster:
ling Value & not Irish Currency, as we now find was in:
tended.     I am with much Esteem, Sir,
Y^r. mo. ob^t. Serv^t.
Ro. C. Nicholas

Address leaf

Virg^a the 6^th April 1772
R C Nicholas
Rec^d the 27^th Jan^ry 1773
P M^r Ballendine
Ans^d. P H Esten