John Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1773 August 3

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London 3^d August 1773

Dear Hatley,

I have already wrote you p this Conve^ce Cap^t White,
bu he not having taken away his Bag, gives me an Opprty of owning
the Receipt of your of 12 June, which make me think those p Drew
which you refer to should have been the 25^th & 26^th May instead of
June. I am sorry to find you had not found my Packet p Esten the 12^th
June, tere must have ben some Carelesness by the Captains mislaying
it. or one of the Passengers perhaps my have taken it up, & neglected
to dliver it, Tis pretty certain the Capt: took it from hence, it was never
put in the Bo of Letters, & therefore no Wonder he never saw it there.
I observe what you say respecting my sending Mess^rs Cockes & Savages
Cargoe's under your Inspection, but I nevertheless think I acted a
prudent part, & believe you will agee with me in Opinion when you
know my Reasons, I was told that Mr Kelly a Neighbor of mine
had shiped M^r Cocke a Cargo about the Time Esten sailed, however
afterwards it was contradicted, & with regard to Col^o Savage on seeing
an Account of the Death of his Wife in the Virginia Gazette, I did not
know but her fortune might go from him at her Death, & I was sensible
he had little of his own. I thought therefore it was not amiss to send
these two Letters under your cover, that in Case any material Altera=
=tion had happened, you might avail yourself, & I can't blame myself
for doing son, it would have been of no Consequence to the Proprietors
had not the Letters miscarried, indeed I was obliged to inclose those
two Invoices ot you for want of some Stop Notes not brought in, &
they were not finished when the Bo of Lettes was sent away from
the Counting House. I still hope they will be found before the Dupil=
=cates arrive with you. Your last Letter greatly eases my Mind, & makes
me think you are now in earnest, & that you will set about collecting

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our Debts, & apply the Money rec'd in purchase of Bills of Exchange.
In a late Letter from the Treasurer after mentioning a Religious Dispute
which has brought upon him an Altercation in the News Paper,
he says in the next Paragraph thus, "I wish another Gentleman whom
you are acquainted with may not turn out as base, & ungrateful to
me, as W.G. has been to you." I am at a loss to guess his Meaning, & could
wish to know in your next after the Receipt of this, who the Person is;
i am thinking whether it may not be G.G. for whom the Treasurer is
Security to us for some Money advance him towards purchasing a
Vessell &c^a when here. I wish he is not full Brother to W.G. he has never
honor'd me with a Line since his Arrival in Virginia ^{or made any remittance} The family join
me in best Wishes to yourself, & my Daughter. I remain

Dear Hatley,
Your's affectionately
John Norton

M^r John Hatley Norton

Docket

London 3^d Aug^st. 73
John Norton
Recd Oct. 18. 1773
Answ^d. Oct^o.