Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 17 Dec 1795

Thomas R Beaumont Esqr                                                              Newcastle   17th Decer 1795

Portman Square  London  MP



Dear Sir	I was favoured with your letter of the 11th Inst & observe that you have got the High Sheriff Dub[be]d a Knight, he is not yet returned to his County having made some stop in Yorkshire _ I met the Lead Stewards at Hexham on Monday & paid them £3470 for Subsistence for the Workmen with the Advance that I promised them with which they are well satisfied except a few dissatisfied turbulent men in Weardale who are using their endeavours to make the rest of the Workmen insist on having double Subsistence Money which (as they are supplied with Corn at a Reduced Price) it would on no Account be prudent to comply with;  Were you to do it their families would not be benifited by it & at the time of the Pay the greater part of them would have little or nothing to receive, their Creditors would be Clamorous & you would incur blame for the badness of the Pay, as they term it  when they have little to Receive  I inclose you one of the papers that were put up at the Smith Shops & the Publick Houses;  I have directed Mr Emerson to acquaint them with the impropriety & unreasonableness of their demand, that it would not be complied with & should any of the Men persist in it, to discharge them,  The Lead Co (who have not given their Men the Relief that you have to yours) have already taken that Method.

	I have paid to Messrs Surtees & Co on your Account Bills Amounting to £25394-17-10  next Month I shall pay them about £3000 more;  the Lead Carriage Pay which I shall be under a necessity of making early in the Month with the Amount of the Corn will come to near £3000.  the state of the Mines are much the same as when the Stewards were last down not any improvement _ Mr Skelton writes me that Mr Stackpole having withdrawn a Petition to the Court of Chancery for the Arrears of the Annuity induces him to suspect that they mean to make a distress & Recommends that Mr Heron may be Consulted which has been done but untill Mr Skelton gives us more full information as to the Amount of the Claim the nature of it etc Mr Heron is at a loss how to form a judgement on the Matter of which I have informed Mr Skelton & on the Receipt of the same I shall Consult Mr Williamson what Steps it may be Advisable to take in case of a Distress being made                    I am etc  J.E.B