Robert Carter writes to his son John, then in London studyinglaw, on July 13, 1720, complaining at length about John's expenses,particularly in persuading Micajah Perry to advance him funds beyondhis allowance. He states that if John deceives him again about theexpenses, he will no longer accept John's word about the managementof his affairs in London. He continues by refuting John's claim thatJohn Randolph has maligned John, and adds that Randolph never worebetter clothes that he has observed although his acquaintance withRandolph is slight. Randolph's politics and his were so opposed,Randolph being "a rank Torey a Proud, humble Parasite a fawningSycophant to his Patron," that he had not hired Randolph again aftera year of retaining him, and now finds Randolph involved in almostall cases he has lost. Robert continues that his lawsuit againstThomas Wise should soon be concluded, and that he will writeseparately concering "Mr. Lee's Settlemt. & Sr. Robt. Raymond's opinion upon the Case." He writes John that "Mr. Cary'sLawsuit is not Yett determin'd" and gives some details of the case,and notes that some poor familys that "whose Ancestors before themhave liv'd & Dyed in quiet possession of these Lands" are likelyto be hurt by the suit, adding that he has a closer claim to thelands than the person from whom Cary acquired because they hadbelonged to his niece. He instructs John to visit Cary and make himacquainted with these facts, reporting that he had made offers toCary through his lawyers to buy the lands in question, and directingJohn to keep in close contact, pressing Cary for his "LowestDemands." He concludes by criticising John for not mentioning hisbrothers who are in England at school, and reports that the family iswell.
Yors. of the 15th of
You make me a great many promisses to make no farther use of
my money Beyond the Allowance I have agreed to give You &
Indeed tis a ps of very extraordinary managemt. In
to give yo
the opportunity of doing It. Tho Ihave Yor.frequent
promisses for a Stated Accot. of Yor. Expenses You leave me
As much in the Dark as ever, You Engage YorSelf Indeed
upon more full mouthd promisses for abettr. regulation
a Closer applicatn to Yor. Studys & agreater frugality for the
Future, but wt. reason have I to believe You'll bemore Consistent
wth. Yor. word now than You have hitherto bin, however I will once
more lay some wt. upon wt. You say isYor.fix'd resolution but
If you deceive me again I must be so plain to tell You --
I Shall have little Dependance upon wt. You say hereafter
In relation to the managemt.
governmt of
You seem to Suspect Mr. Randolph hath Done You
Some Disservice in his character of You but in that You are
Entirely Mistaken I Dont know nor ever heard he hath
lett fall any Expression to Yor. Disadvantage nor Indeed had
I Ever much Discourse wth.
him
obligation to You, he is for wt. I know clear of the Sin of
Ingratitude. as for his wearing finer Linnen or finer Cloths
Than You he never appeard in any Such here that I
have seen, my Accquaintance wth. him is very slender
only now and then casualy at a Dinner, his Principles
& mine are of a very Diff [eren] tnaturea rank Torey a
Proud, humble Parasite a fawning Sycophant to his
Patron wth. all the other requisites to a
are as much reverse to my nature as white is to black
besides altho he was my Servant for ayear & I gave him aretaining fee at his first
coming in he hath bin in all Causes That Ihave had against me
From whence You may conclude there is very little
familiarity between us.
Mr. Richd. Perry tells me heshould Settle Mr.Wise's
Affair in a Short time, Mr. Lee's Settlemt. &
opinion upon the Case I Shall Consider in a Lettr. by Itself.
Mr. Cary's
Lawsuit is not Yett determin'd altho I
take the Difficultyst part of Itto be over It is come to the
Issue The last Jury made two Surveys & have submitted It
to the Judgement of the Court w
right such a proceeding in a Jury I never Saw before but it
lyes upon this Issue for Tryal to the next Court. lett theDetermination
be as much in the Disfavour of Mr. Cary as It can
he'l have Enough for his money, &in my Conscience I think
of right he ought to go no further than the Inmost lines If
he recovers to the outer most It will be a very hard fate
to Sevl. Poor familys whose Ancestors beforethem have
liv'd & Dyed in quiet possession of these Lands, & If Carybe a
Man of honour & Circumstance I believe If he were
upon the Spott he would be contented to takehis land
wth.out Disturbing these poor people. I'm sure w [ere] he in
right mind I would Forthwith give It up, & If Proximity
of blood might take place, I am a nearer heir than the
Person Cary Purchasd from, Those Landswere the Inhe=
=ritance of my Bro [the] rs
Daughter and she dy'd last Seizd
of That Inheritance, I'd have you acquaint Mr. Cary
wth this whole Storey. he hath fee'd indeed all the
Lawyers that
are of any value in theCountry How farr
the Strength of Lungs may go in bewildering A Court
& worrying Poor men out of their rights I Cant tell
You might very well Smile at Cary's
when he bought. those Lands & two considerable Tracts more
as I take It for less than 500, I offer'd his Lawyers
At the barr to take the Land wth.in theInmost bounds & to
pay him his principal money & Interest from the
time of the Paymt. wth. the Charges of the Lawsuit
& £100 besides for his bargain. or If this will not do
I Shall be willing to give him as much for It as
any body else & I think the relationship should make
him So Generous rather to lett me have It than another
I would have you keep the business warm between You
& to Accquaint me wth. his Lowest Demands. There
is but one Difficulty in the Wind wch. If I can gett over
I may make a better Title to these lands than any of
the heirs of Hull
under whom Cary purchast --
In all Yor Long Lettr. You forgett toSay one
Syllable of YorBro [the] rs
Surely they are more inYorcare
Than all this comes to. Yor Sisters & their familys are in
health my Daughr Page
wth her husband went from
hence but two Days ago we all Enjoy health in this
family at this time thank God I commit You to the
Protection of the Almighty & am