Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 27 Jan 1794

Thos R Beaumont Esqr                                                                    Newcastle 27th Jany 1794

No 4 Portman Square  London



Dr Sir	I wrote to you the 18th Inst directed to your Bankers not then knowing your direction; I have since been favoured with your letter of the 23d Inst & am glad to hear you got safe & well to Town; I postponed Answering your letter in hopes of having some conversation with Mr Heron on the business, tomorrow we are to have a Meeting for that purpose _ I am not a little surprised at the application which has been made to you by Mr Hall rispecting his Mothers Acting for Messrs Lancaster & Co in case of their Indeminity, it certainly is a most extraordinary Application circumstanced as you are with that Family & in this Stage of the business, the Answer to be given requires serious consideration least it should Mitigate against your claim on Lancaster & Co on which Accot I do not think it Advisable to give them any Answer untill that Matter is settled, when the Application in my Opinion should come from Lancaster & Co rather than from the Halls who by their conduct have forfeited every claim which they might have had to your favour or indulgence.  I expect that Application will be made to you by Mr Walters Att[orne]y of this place on behalf of Walter Hall & Co to Sign their certificate, how far a Majority of their Creditors may be induced to come into this Measure I cannot say; but the conduct of the Halls in the Transaction of business with you does not merit that Indulgence _ I was applied to by Mr Fishwick the other day for some Refin’d Lead, but he refused to give the Price for which I sold the last parcell & he told me that he expected to get it at £15-5 per Fo[dde]r.          I am etc   J.E.B