Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
furnish me with the necessary money for purchasing the press and types, paper,
etc. For these letters I was appointed to call at dierent times, when they were to
be ready, but a future time was still named. Thus he went on till the ship, whose
departure too had been several times postponed, was on the point of sailing. Then,
when I call’d to take my leave and receive the letters, his secretary, Dr. Bard, came
out to me and said the governor was extremely busy in writing, but would be down
at Newcastle before the ship, and there the letters would be delivered to me.
Ralph, though married, and having one child, had determined to accompany me
in this voyage. It was thought he intended to establish a correspondence, and obtain
goods to sell on commission; but I found afterwards, that, thro’ some discontent
with his wife’s relations, he purposed to leave her on their hands, and never return
again. Having taken leave of my friends, and interchang’d some promises with Miss
Read, I left Philadelphia in the ship, which anchor’d at Newcastle. The governor
was there; but when I went to his lodging, the secretary came to me from him with
the civillest message in the world, that he could not then see me, being engaged
in business of the utmost importance, but should send the letters to me on board,
wish’d me heartily a good voyage and a speedy return, etc. I returned on board a
little puzzled, but still not doubting.
Mr. Andrew Hamilton, a famous lawyer of Philadelphia, had taken passage in
the same ship for himself and son, and with Mr. Denham, a Quaker merchant, and
Messrs. Onion and Russel, masters of an iron work in Maryland, had engag’d the
great cabin; so that Ralph and I were forced to take up with a berth in the steerage,
and none on board knowing us, were considered as ordinary persons. But Mr.
Hamilton and his son (it was James, since governor) return’d from Newcastle
to Philadelphia, the father being recall’d by a great fee to plead for a seized ship;
and, just before we sail’d, Colonel French coming on board, and showing me great
respect, I was more taken notice of, and, with my friend Ralph, invited by the
other gentlemen to come into the cabin, there being now room. Accordingly, we
remov’d thither.
Understanding that Colonel French had brought on board the governor’s
despatches, I ask’d the captain for those letters that were to be under my care.
He said all were put into the bag together and he could not then come at them;
but, before we landed in England, I should have an opportunity of picking them
out; so I was satised for the present, and we proceeded on our voyage. We had a
sociable company in the cabin, and lived uncommonly well, having the addition of
all Mr. Hamilton’s stores, who had laid in plentifully. In this passage Mr. Denham
contracted a friendship for me that continued during his life. The voyage was
otherwise not a pleasant one, as we had a great deal of bad weather.
When we came into the Channel, the captain kept his word with me, and gave
me an opportunity of examining the bag for the governor’s letters. I found none
upon which my name was put as under my care. I picked out six or seven, that,
by the handwriting, I thought might be the promised letters, especially as one of
them was directed to Basket, the king’s printer, and another to some stationer. We
Page | 340