Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

By this opportunity, if not sooner,
you will hear of Cap^t Robertson's Arrival.
I don't know myself yet what Quantity of
Tob^o I shall ship you, as I am really afraid of
the Quality of great Part of my own Crop; I am
looking out for such Tob^o as I think will suit your
market sooner ^better & have already purchased 20
Hogsheads, which shall be shipt on Board Cap^t
Outram ; you'll therefore be pleased to insure that
Quantity in such Manner as you think most for my
Interest. I am in immediate Want of some
Stone to repair our Capitol Steps, & being inform'd that
such Articles come best from Bristol, I have wrote
to M^r John Perkes of Bristol & sent him particular Direc:
tions, with a Request, if the Stone can't be procured
there to apply to you, & don't doubt but you will assist
him, in having the things sent to me by the first
Opportunity. I send you Duplicates of three Bills
formerly remitted, lest the first should have miscar
ried.

I don't doubt before this reaches you, but
you will have heard of the Dissolution of our Assem:
bly & of the Association we have been drove
to. It grieves me to think that we should be
obliged to do do any thing, that we may look like dis:
tressing our Fellow Subjects, but my Concern is much
alleviated when I consider that it is in their Power,
by a single Act of Justice, to restore Things to their
former happy Channel. I suppose M^r Cheap & C^o
have drawn upon you for my annual Pipe
of Wine; but I shall give them Directions to ship me
no more 'till farther Orders. You may expect very
few Orders for Goods next Year; for my own Part,
I am resolved to import Nothing that I can possibly
do without, & believe this is the Resolution of most.
There is no Inconvenience or hardship, but what
I will submit to rather than desert the Cause, the
essential Interests of my Country. I am really astonish'd
that the Merchants have been so very passive ;
what signified repealing a paltry Stamp Act,
I call it so in a comparative Degree, if other Mea:
sures a thousand Times more oppressive,
are pass'd over unobserved? If the Steps we have already
taken do not produce their desired Effect,
the Virginians must in a great Measure
desert their Staple to provide the Necessa:
ries of Life. I thank God I am pretty well
recover'd from my severe Indisposition &
hope this will find you & your good Family
in perfect Health. Your Son was very
well on Monday Morning on his Way to
Hanover. I shall pay my ^farther Respects to you
by some other Opportunity & in the mean
Time remain very truly, D^r Sir,

Virg^a 31^st May 1769
R.C. Nicolas
Receiv'd Y^e 25^th July
Ans^d 28 July 1769
p[er] Cap^t Clarke