132 | To William Bollan

    Castle William July 7th. 1762

    Sr.

    I am favoured with yours of feb 13th531 & am much obliged to you for the trouble you gave yourself in the business therein mentioned. I am advised by Lord Barrington that the Affair is postponed for the present, the objection of my sons minority not being to be got over532

    In the beginning of march last I sent to you a Grant of the Island of Mount desart made to me by the General Court, desiring you to get the Kings confirmation of the grant according to Charter.533 I could not expect to hear from you on this subject having but just received advice that the ship wolfe Cap Diamond which carried the first set of these papers arrived safe at London Nevertheless upon account of some transactions here I think it necessary to add a few lines upon that subject

    I mean the proceedings in the General Court concerning the Agency; which have given me a good deal of Concern. As I knew you would receive many Letters upon this subject, I did not write to you upon it. But as I was unwilling to appear to a friend of ours to act a part contradictory to my professions in regard to you, I did write to Mr. Wilbraham a short letter accounting for my professions conduct in that affair which I suppose he has shown to you: I also wrote to Secretary Pownal534 to the same purpose. the Resolve in the house was certainly very exceptionable, & I mad535 no doubt but that the Council would, as they ought to have non concurred it. But as they left it to me to stem the whole torrent, I found myself obliged to consent to what I professedly disapproved of.

    I made no doubt but that the part I acted in this transaction would appear to you in such a light, that your disposition to do me good offices would receive no abatement: and therefore I made no further provision for procuring the confirmation of my grant than, what I had before made. But having since considered that it is probable that you will leave London before my business is finished, I find it necessary to engage a Gentleman to take so much of this trouble of your hands, as you shall want to part with. I have therefore wrote to Mr. Jackson (Richd. Esqr. Paper building Inner temple last staircase) to concert with you what remains to be done, & to take such a part therein as shall be most agreeable & convenient to you both.536 I should be glad to have it concluded before the grants of the 12 New Townships shall be sent up, which wont be ’till next winter: especially as I am obliged to act under the Grant unconfirmed as it is, otherwise I shall lose a set of settlers that now offer & wont be delayed.

    I shall be very glad of an oppertunity of acknowledging my obligations to you by such services as are in my power & am

    Sr. your & &

    Wm. Bollan Esqr.

    L, LbC BP, 2: 197-198.

    This is FB’s first letter to Bollan after his dismissal from the province agency in Apr. FB’s concern that Bollan would do nothing to assist the confirmation of the Mount Desert grant overrode his embarrassment at having acquiesced in his removal. While Bollan passed the paperwork to Jasper Mauduit (No. 172), FB continued to write Bollan about the problems arising from the administrative inertia of the British government, with which Bollan was certainly familiar; his response was probably less than sympathetic.