Letter from Mr. Bollan to the Committee Continued

March 17th.

I wrote in haste on the 15th inst˙ , in order to despatch my letters, with a copy of my Petition and the duplicates, by the Captains Lloyd and Scott, who, I understood, were on the point of sailing; but going into the city, at noon, I found their departure was postponed for a short time. At present I have not much to add, and less time for doing it. On Monday, having risen early, and been in a constant state of hurry and anxiety until my Petition was admitted, I then went away directly, to get necessary sustenance, getting home about five, having before coming away declined writing to the Speaker, as the Door-keeper had proposed, for the favour of leave of admittance into the House. According to my information, next morning great disappointment took place by the principal persons, men of the greatest weight in the opposition, not speaking at all; and Lord North' s drift seemed to be to adopt the ancient maxim divide et impera, and to make the town of Boston the chief source of all the opposition made by the Colonies to the measures of Government, and by punishment suitable to this idea to make an example of them, in terrorem, to others, supposing the old maxim, proximus ardet, would not take place in the Colonies.

Lord Camden was not at home yesterday when I went to wait on him, whereupon I left, to be delivered to him, at his return, a copy of my Petition to the House of Commons, and a printed copy of my late Petition to the King, & c. American affairs being appointed to come on in the House of Lords to-day, upon my waiting on him this morning his Lordship told me his servant informed him Serjeant Baldwin had left some papers for him, which he had not looked into, and he was in such haste, that I had bare time to inform him that Calias, which, you are sensible, was obtained by conquest, at the expense of much blood and treasure, had, in process of time, right of election of two members to set in Parliament, to which he seemed quite a stranger, the knowledge whereof after making many re searches in vain, I had at length acquired. The rights of taxation being hastily mentioned, he said an Act of Parliament hung over his head, and, at my coming away, said he should be glad to see me any other time; and, as the Ministers proceed, against you by Bill, that will give opportunity, of course, for my waiting on him.

I am, with the greatest respect, for you, gentlemen, and all the other honorable members of the Council, your most obedient and most humble servant, W˙ BOLLAN.

The Hon˙ John Erving, Wm˙ Brattle, James Bowdoin, and James Pitts, Esqrs.