Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to J Tweddell – 4 Feb 1799

J Tweddell Esq.                                                            Newcastle  4th February   1799

Threepwood  near Hexham  Northumberland 



D[ea]r Sir    

      Col Beaumont was favoured with your letter of the 25th Ult. but not being fully informed of the progress that had been made in the Bill for the Division of the Commons & Stinted Pastures in Weardale, he has desired me to answer your letter.  This Division nearly concerns Col Beaumont as Lessee under the Lord Bishop of Durham, & it of course strongly behoves his Lordship as well as the Rector of Stanhope, that the Lessee should not be placed in a worse situation than the Lessee had ever been before,  To provide against which it will be necessary that there be a proper Clause in the Bill giving the Lessee full liberty of Working the Mines in as full & ample a manner in the Stinted Pastures, as well as in the Commons, without being subject to the Payment of any Damage whatever as heretofore hath been done; Which Clause shall be approved of by the Lessee’s Council & consented to by the Proprietors etc at the Meeting; This being addopted Col Beaumont I have no doubt will be Friendly to the Bill & give it his support; but untill that is done I can not recommend it to him to sign the Petition, nor to oblige his Agents to do it, however their own private interests may be concerned in it.

      I have wrote to Mr Emerson at Newhouse to this purpose.  Col & Mrs Beaumont desire me to present their respectful Comp[limen]ts to Mrs & Miss Tweddell & yourself & I am with respect etc  J E B