Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

I wrote to you some time ago thanking you for the
Confidence you had put in me in sending me so many
Goods upon so small a Consignment, acquainting you with
my Disappointment, & shewing how far I had complied with
my promise of paying your son &c. I can not help
assuring you again that I should not have sent you
such an Invoice last Year, if I had known the Amount
of my Debts here, & could have forseen the
Expences of Electioneering; for no Body hates the
Thoughts of being in Debt more than I do: but
the Great Scarcity of Money here, the Shortness of
my Crops for four Years past, & the necessary
Expences of an encreasing Family joined to the
Commencement of Housekeeping in a large House,
have forced me to submit to it for a while ; but I
hope it will not be long, as I have a very good
Prospect of a Crop, have engaged a Good Overseer,
have resolved not to send to England for any
thing this Year, & have entered into the Associati
-on. I like the Association because I think it
will repeal the disagreeable Acts of Parliament,
open the Eyes of the People with you, & must certain
-ly clear us of our Debts. All North America will
join in this Scheme. How must your Manufacturers
curse the Minister who has driven the Collonies
to this. I am astonished at L^d . Hillsborough.
His Method of quelling Riots in London, & supporting the
civil Power in America, as he terms it, will render him
eternally ridiculous & odious to ^both English and Americans. I am
amazed at the Influence he seems to have over both Houses
of Parliament; their Resolves are almost a Copy of his
letter to Governor Bernard. Is it not shocking to think
that he not only executed that dangerous & impolitic
Scheme of sending Troops to Boston, but was able to get the
Approbation of L^ds & Commons Is not every honest
Englishman allarm'd at their Resolves & Address?
Mentioning their ^{Resolves &} Address puts me in mind of ours; but I suppose you will see them before you get this. L^d . Botetourt
requir'd nothing of the Assembly; but they were so pro=
=voked at the Resolves of the Lords & Commons that they
enter'd the Resolves, for which his Lordship thought
proper to dissolve them. This has not lessen'd him in
their Esteem, for they suppose he was obliged to do
so; he is universally esteemed here, for his great
Assiduity in his Office, Condescension, good Nature &
true Politness

I hope our unhappy Differences will soon be at an
End, for I think that Parliament must be soon
convinced that the Acts we complain of are unconstitu
=tional, & anticommercial, & then will with a greatness
of Mind worthy of that August Body, repeal them
as such.

I have given Capt. Robertson 10 Hhd.s which was all
I had after paying Levies & Overseers. I shall be
obliged to you if you will Ensure them.
I believe we have had one of the worst Overseers in
the World. My Wife joins me in best Wishes to you
y^r . Lady & Family.

Virg^a . 27^th May 1769
John Page Jun^r
Receiv'd Y^e 25^th July
Ans^d . The 26^th Aug^st . 1769
P[er] Cap^t . Cocke