Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 16 Dec 1798

Colonel Beaumont                                                                      Newcastle  16th Decr 1798

M.P.   Portman Square London



Dear Sir	

      I wrote to you from Darlington the 7th Inst & yesterday I was favoured with your letter of the 13th Inst enclosing a Certificate from the Assignees of Walter & Frederick Hall’s Bankruptcy recommending it to the Creditors to sign their Certificate;  You will judge for yourself in this delicate point;  How the Assignees (who must be privy to some very unjustifiable transactions a few days previous to their stopping payment; can take upon them to recommend this measure? I am at a loss to Account;  It is well known that the Bank of S & B secured themselves by some considerable Purchases made by the Halls a very short time before they failed, which was immediately transferred to S & B which accounts for their interesting themselves in the favor of the Halls, & likewise for Mr J Surtees entering into Partnership with them, not much to his Credit,  The means that the Halls made use of to get Possession of the Money in the hands of Lancaster & Co & their Purchasing of me a quantity of Lead two or three days before they stopt payments & at a time they had determined on the measure which Lead they immediately let a clamourous Scots Creditor have to prevent an arrest, will certainly be no recommendation to your signing their Certificate; should you be of that opinion? & of course decline it? the Answer to be given to Mr Burdon I wou’d recommend to be general without entering into particular, That their Conduct & transactions in your Concern have been such as to put a bar against your signing their Certificate;  At the same time I must beg that you will not shew that Gentn my letter, nor tell him that I dissuaded you against the Measure.  I have wrote again to Sir Henry Wilson & have remitted him a Bill for the Interest of the £4000 & at the same time acquainted him that I would in the course of a few Weeks send him a Bill for £1200 in part of the above sum.  The term being lengthened for the compleating the Purchase of the Land tax will enable us to be more accurate in those accounts, in which I am taking the necessary steps.  As soon as I am informed of the heads of Mr Pitts proposed Bill respecting Income, & how far Lead Mines may be affected by it, I will give you my opinion thereon.  I am quite of your opinion as to the evil Tendency of the circulation of small Notes under twenty Shillgs; the Notes of that amount are a present convenience & the circulation will (I imagine) be allowed for some time longer.  I cannot give an answer respecting the Collieries of St Johnlee & St Oswald; on your application to my Brother, you will have his answer.  A Meeting of the Proprietors of the Commons & Stinted Pastures in Weardale is to be held tomorrow at Westgate, on my consulting Mr Heron on that matter, & on the Resolutions come to & signed by some of the Parties & likewise how far it would be adviseable for him to attend the Meeting in your behalf; I received the enclosed Lre from him & I have wrote to Mr Emerson accordingly.

	Application will be made to you by several persons for your Vote to succeed as Matron to the Infirmary a Person of the name of Smiles has offered who is every Way qualified for that Office & I must request your Vote in her favor.

	I have been confined to the House this Week past with the Rheumatism in my head & teeth, I am better this day & hope to get out tomorrow.                      I am etc  J.E.B