Letter to Gabriel Manigault from Robert Williams, October 29, 1785.

Letter to Gabriel Manigault from Robert Williams, October 29, 1785.

1785-10-29

Collection consists of a promissory note of Gabriel Manigault to Robert Williams, showing payments made from 1777 to 1788, witnessed by William Banbury. Five letters written to Gabriel Manigault from Robert Williams and J. Vandeuvre (written in French), dating between 1785 and 1801.

2023-05-10

600 dpi, 16-bit depth, color, Epson Expression 10000XL, Archival masters are tiffs.

Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

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Ms. 103, Gabriel Manigault Papers, 1777, 1785, 1788, 1801.

English

Ms103_Let6

London, October 29th 1785

Sir,

Since I wrote to you on the 12th instant, I have received your letter of the 8th August, wherein you desire me to repeat to you what concern Mr. John Hopton had in the transaction of the Money I lent your Grandfather, as it had escaped your Memory: the answer to which I have to acquaint you, that Messrs. Powell, Hopton and C. having owed me a large Sum of Money several years, Mr. Hopton called on me in November 1770 and told me, that, as they were desirous of speculating in Indico, they would be glad to have the use of the Money another year to which I consented, but on the last day of december he informed me that being disappointed in their Speculation, he would pay of their Contracts to me, which produced some dispute between us, and I positively refused to take the Money, declaring at the same time my refusal did not proceed from any objections I had to the quality of the Money, but from his Agreement to keep it another year. A morning or two afterwards, I met your Grandfather at Market, and, in the Course of Conversation mentioned this matter to hire, upon which he observed to me, that as I was a great deal respected in my political principles, my refusal would be misconstrued, and, if I would receive the Money he would be glad to take it off my Hands for a year certain, assigning for reason that he had made a purchase of a large quantity of Indico, but having lent the Money he had provided to pay for it to the Treasury, on a positive Promise
Promise it should be refused time enough to fulfil his engagements, he found himself disappointed, and had rather borrow than be worse than his Word. In order therefore to accommodate your Grandfather, I went to Mr. Hopton, after my refusal to take the Money, as above, and told him I was willing to receive it to oblige a Friend who had offered to me: but he informed me he had parted with it

however, he would send out and Collect as much and let me have it in a few days

and accordingly he called on me on the 9th January 1777, with the Money, which I immediately carried to your Grandfather, who gave me this Note for it payable in 12 months, with Interest reduced by a recent [illegible] to 7 per Cent: so that it must be ardent to you that, to serve your Grandfather, I drew this Money out of the Bonds of Powell Hopton & Co., who afterwards paid me the depreciation, according to our Table, and would have unquestionably done so if they had, at a late period, discharged their Contracts

which, from my Connection with them, perhaps might have remained uncancelled to this day, if to oblige your Grandfather, I had not called the Money out of their Hands.

You are aware that your Grandfather insisted on discharging his Note in August 1779, in the depreciated Currency, without discounting the Money I took up on his Credit of Mr. Manning, which obliged me afterwards to dispose of my Plantation to prevent his selling your Grandfather's Stock in the Funds here, as he threatened me and you are [illegible] to every other Circumstance of this transaction, which I duly owed to a State of the Debt I delivered to your Brother, previous to his departure and relying on your Honour and Praise to Pay me: [illegible] with sincere regard, Sire, Your most obedt humle servt, Robert Williams.

Gabriel Manigault Esq.re

Having [illegible] the forgoing letter at the request of Mr. Williams I do declare the facts therein stated to be true.

John Stopton
Oct. 29th 85– Robt. Williams

Gabriel Manigault Esqre
Charleston
South Carolina

From W. Williams