Letter – Joseph Richmond to Walter Blackett – 24 Jun 1760

To Sir Wr Blackett MP at his house in Pall Mall London                                     24th June 1760



Honrd Sir

   I return inclosed the Denmark papers sent down in your letter of the 19th inst. Jno Cooper was a Newcastle merchant and Sir William Blackett's Factor at Copenhagen therefore the bond or bill on <Marcellius> was made payable to him and he gave a Lre of Attorney to Henry Lad of Amsterdam to receive the money, and then Ladd afterwards renounced that authority to Sir Wm Blackett from whom you deduce your Title to the Debt. I wish you could procure the payment of the 9571 Rix dollars for the principal debt, detainer of the ship and charges; as for instrst tho' it is as due as the principal, I imagine it is in vain ever to expect it. I believe by the alteration of the Exch[ange] a Rix dollar is not now worth above 4s. But if you obtain payment of the debt it will be in Rix dollars, and if you must get it returned by Amsterdam acording to the course of exchange wch you will now reduce it to about 4s sterling pr Rix dollar, but in 1656 the Rix dollar was valued at 4s 6d. I can never think the payment of this money can ever be obtained but by a letter from the King to the King of Denmark, thro' the mediation of the English ministers. Therefore the gentleman that undertakes the thing may put you to a deal of expence to no purpose, and I doubt not but you will be cautious in giving any authority or letter of Attorney to any person you have not an intire confidence in for it may not be easy to get it revoked, and until that is done you cannot apply thro' any other channel. Besides the Danish Ministers will most likely say they can do nothing without seeing the original bill which I assume you will not part with it.

    There is nothing said yet about Mr Eden's giving up his gown, and it is likely nothing will resolve on, as to that matter till it is seen how this affairs turn out. But I apprehend he can never more appear as a magistrate without being liable to insults, as was the case with Ald[erma]n Rudston. To chuse Mr Surtees would be throwing too much weight into one scale. Therefore I see no proper choice you have, when there is a vacancy but Mr Blackett who is a senior <peer> to Mr Scurfield. Ald[man] Ra Sowerbie has been ill for some months in an ague and I hear is still but in an indifferent way. There will be £50 of Mr Davison's money to be given to a young merchant the 29th July who is to be nominated by you and Mr Davison and I hope you will be here before that time to consider of a proper person. It must be to one that is free of the merchants Co. 

    I am informed Hannah Potts is a Freemans daughter, and a very proper person to be admitted into the hospital. 

    My son attended Lord and Lady Northumberland as they alighted on Sunday even with your compliments and offer of any accomodations your house afforded. His Lordship returned you thanks, but said they had engaged their old lodgings. Here are none lodge in your house but Mr Shuttleworth and Mr Carr 

   PS I forgot to aquaint you with the death of Mr Douglas and the vicar. Lady No'land's horse won the King's Plate yesterday I am etc. JR