Letter – John Grey to James Graham – 10 Dec 1833

Private

Corbridge Dec 10th 1833

Sir

	I feel myself very much obliged by your kind information & advice reflecting the election of a Surveyor for the Alston Turnpike in a proper choice of whom, the interest of the trust & the accommodation of the public are so deeply connected.

	I must however state that Mr R Hodgson’s information is incorrect as to my having expressed any intentions to advance the election of Mr C Hodgson upon your recommendation of him, however agreeable it would of course be to me to be able to accede to your wishes on the subject, which I well know, could only be expressed in so far as the character & qualifications of the party might be found to authorise the appointment – and I am sure that he is equally at fault respecting Mr Ord’s intentions, as he / Mr Ord, very lately applied to me on the subject, & said that he would live to Mr C Hodgson the same kind of answer that I had done, which was, that however glad I should be to attend to your recommendation, the interests of the trust must be with me, as I was confident they were with yourself, the paramount consideration, & that I should not make up my mind until all the candidates were in the field, and I had availed myself of every means of obtaining information respecting them. Of Mr R Hodgson, I am compelled to remark, that in spite of his profession of disinterestedness, I have seldom met with a more apparent attempt at jobbing, than he made on a late occasion, or been brought to act in concert with any one whose motives & manoeuvres I should think it more necessary to keep a vigilant eye upon, than his own.

      I have the honor to be Sir

      Your very obedient servant

			John Grey