Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1768 July 6

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1768 July 6

Letter of Robert Carter Nicholas, treasurer of the colony of Virginia, to John Norton, merchant in London. Nicholas writes concerning the tobacco he is sending to Norton and his efforts to procure paper for Williamsburg printers Purdie and Dixon. He requests the help of Norton in getting the credit necessary to cover the £400 expense of the paper; requests his account current and mentions that John Hatley Norton is travelling to Hanover Court.

MS 1936.3.94
Folder 9

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

Ink on paper

Page 1

Williamsburg 6^th. July 1768

Dear Sir.

I wrote to you last Month advising
that I had shipt 40 Hogsheads of Tob^o. on board
the Randolph, to your Address, which I
desired you to insure in such Manner
as you thought most for my Interest;
I now repeat the same Request. I had wai
ted so long for Cap^t. Robertson that I really
began to despair of him, however I would
have kept my Tob^o. longer, if I had thought
there was any Danger of his being pinch'd
when he did arrive: I was at the same
Time very desirous to get some of my Tob^o.
as early as possible as Market, as now
have a Prospect of a large Crop this
year, & Cap^t. Walker engaged to sail by the
20^th. of this Month at farthest. I have pur:
chased 36 hds on York River & propose giving y^r.
Son a Commission to buy for me four more,
when he goes up to Hanover Court to make
the Number forty for Cap^t. Robertson so that
you'll be pleased also to insure that Num:
ber with him. Thus you see my Friend
that I have exerted myself to serve you in
this scarce year. I refused a great & tempting

Page 2

Price for my own Crop & gave a great Price
for what I have purchased from 21/ to 26/pc^t.

I must desire the Fav^r. of your Assistance
in an Affair that concerns my Office. When
I wrote to you for some materials for our
Printers, they were in Hopes of being able
to supply themselves with Paper at Phi:
ladelphia; in the Fall I gave them a
Letter of Credit to a Friend there; the Paper
was not to be had, but he was so obliging
as immediately to write to M^r. Bowden,
who gave the Commission to Mess^rs. Frank
& Bickerton; these Gentlemen have shipt
Part of the Paper, I think to the Amount of
£120 odd Pounds, the rest they promise
to ship by Midsummer & write Mess^rs. Pur:
die & Dixon that they expected to have
been immediately put in Cash for the
whole Amount, which was &pound400 St^g.; they
quote a Paragraph of my Friend's Let:
ter, which only engaged that the Money
should be remitted upon the Arrival
of the Paper: tho' there is some little In:
consistency in this, & tho' I can't but think
the Gentleman a little hasty, presuming

Page 3

that the Paper was probably bought at
the usual Terms of Credit yet as the Matter
concerns my office, I would not willingly
leave the matter & [illegible] Complaint.
I have Money enough by me, but if
my Life was at Stake, I don't know where
to procure a Bill that can be depended
upon for such a Sum. I have no doubt
but you, from y^r. Friendship for me,
would pay my draught, but as I have
drawn several Bills already, I don't care
to value myself in this Way on you at pre
sent for so large an additional Sum: but,
if you can contrive with Convenience
to yourself, to support my Credit with
those Gentlemen & make them easy, I
should esteem it a great Favour; the
Sum I engaged for is £400 St.^g. I have de:
sired your Son to take what Money
the Ship may have Occasion for of me,
to invest what little Money I may
have to spare in Bills & send them to you.
Within these few Days I have drawn on

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you in Favour of M^r. Filmer Green for
£6 St.^g, which you'll be pleased to pay; my
other draught to you have been advised
of in former Letters. I shall hope to receive
my Acc^t. of Sails & Acc^t. curr^t. by the first
Opportunity, as I long to know exactly how
Matters stand between us. I have advanced
considerably for Tob^o. both this & the last
year; I will avoid drawing on you if
I can, tho' should I be much disappointed
in receiving part of considerable Sums
due to me, perhaps I may be obliged to do it.
Your Neighbours Mess^rs. _ H _ have open'd
a fine Scheme for my Countrymen; they
advace £1000 St.^g for 25 Hhds; but this we
have Nothing to do with. I expect y^r.
Son will call upon me to Day on his Way
to Hanover Court; I believe he is very well.
Accept my continued best Wishes for
you & all yours & believe me on every
Occasion,

D^r. Sir,
Y^r. aff^te. & mo. ob^t. Ser^t.
Ro. C. Nicholas

I thank you for the Herrings & Sally
is much obliged for
the Instuments

Address leaf

To
M^r. John Norton
Merch^t. in
London

Virg^a. 6 July 1768
Ro: Carter Nicholas

Recd 30^th August
p Cap^t. Esten

Ans^d. 3^d Sep^r. 1768
p Cap^t. Clark