Robert Carter writes to his son John, then in London studyinglaw, July 19, 1720, about an opinion that he has received from SirRobert Raymond in England concerning "Mr. Lee's Deed of Settlement,"expressing his dissatisfaction with it. Sir Robert's opinion hadindicated "a wide Difference between a bond Debt and a debt upon Simple Contract" and Carter expounds upon the trouble such aninterpretation will create for the colonists. He asks John to attemptto see Sir Robert or another able attorney to have certain points inthe opinion expanded upon, and adds that he will consult lawyers inVirginia. He sends family news, and indicates his need for aschoolmistress for "my three Younger Children . . . at home wth. me Mary, Lucy, & George," noting that he haswritten Mr. Perry about one, but John may be able to assist.
I have Consider'd Sr Robt. Raymonds
opinion
upon Mr. Lee's Deed of Settlement& can find but little en=
=
makes a wide Difference between a bond Debt and a debt
upon Simple Contract now If all Debts are resolvable
intothese two mine must be Construed to be a Contract
Debt. & soaccording to Sir Robt. not recoverable out
of a real estate, If This be Law we in thePlantations
are in a very Dangerous
but theMerchts Accots. for our Security, and any Merchts
for the
money he has of others topurchase a real Estate
wth. & when he's Dead his family goesinto the possession of It
& his Claimers are wth.out remedy,but to the point as
for the pretence of a free contract that wasmade between
Lee & his wife before the
nothing In It norindeed can It be Thot. That Lee the
Son Should propose a
Lands wch. were fee Simple So long beforethe fathers
Death when he had no knowledge whether the landswoud
Ever come to him or no. If the truth were known this
Settlmt. was Contrived Just as Lee found himself
Tottering to Defraudhis Creditors, & to do something
for his wife and Childrenat other men's cost, but how
to discover the Dark
way, my next Step must be to ShowSr. Robt.'s opinion
to our Lawyers here & See wt. they Say to It.Tis a hard
case & for my Life I cant see the Equity of It.That my
Children Should go a Starving & another mans upon
my money should have a maintenace & no Law
will Affordme nor mine a remedy, Sir Robt. Raymond
is a very Great man & perhaps will not allow You a
Free Discource wth. him If You can have so much Influence
wth.him or any other able Lawyer wthout heaving away
more money, togain me a Clear opinion upon all
These points It wold beSattisfactory, Sir Robt.'s
opinion is in such a terrable Character
in some places
I can do no more but
friends hereare well for wt. I know, Mrs. Ann
is the
Cheif housekeeper I have, my threeYounger Children
are at home wth. me Mary,
Lucy,
& George
Igreatly
want a Schoolmistress for them a Grave woman of
abt. forty years of age, that hath bin well Educated &
is of a towardly Disposition to make It her business to be
their Tutoress I would willingly give reasonable yearly
wages to such a person for four or five Years, I know
Thereare a great many Such to be mett wth. in London
That are hardly able to maintain themselves, I have
may Perhaps be instrumental in procuring one
& It beinga matter in wch. You are more nearly Concerned
have