Robert Carter writes to London merchant Edward Athawes, June 28, 1729, to point out to Athawes that neither he nor his partner, William Dawkins, has bothered to confirm to Carter that partnership. He notes that he has sent more tobacco to their firm than to any other and states what he expects from a merchant who handles his business.
In answer to a Letter of yours Dated in 1727 I wrote to
you at large the 8th. of August 1728
. I do not remember I have received any return
from you
to this
neither has Mr Dawkins
yet so much as mentioned to me your
name much less that you are his Partner. I find you are much in the Esteem
of my sons who from their Personal Acquaintance Say a great many good
things of you that you are a Person of a great deal of diligence and undergo a
great part of the weight of Mr. Dawkins's business. and they
are desirous
now you [have] married and Live in the City that I should enter into a Correspond
ence with you. Which is the
gives Occasion to this
My Consignments to Mr. Dawkins are this year 78 hogsheads
Exceeding my business Considerably to any man in the trade, the best reco=
mmendation you can give yourself to my respects will be by being In=
strumental in your utmost Endeavrs. of rendering me a good Account of my. Tobacco
Upon which the sinews of my Life
livelihood
etc depend. I suppose you are no stranger
to My Letters to Mr. Dawkins To which I shall refer you. Another very
Considerable Article is the well buying of our Goods both as to their Price
and goodness I Esteem my self a ready money Chapman
and that the
Merchant Carries my money in his Pockets to pay the Tradesman and I am
no stranger of
to
the great difference that
which
the Tradesmen can afford to make
between him that pays his money ready down and where he trusts for a
Twelve month I shall not give you any further Entertainenm at Present
only to tell you that I am