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WILLING 
 LETTERS AND PAPERS 
 
WILLING 
 LETTERS AND PAPERS 
 
 EDITED WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY OF 
 
 THOMAS WILLING 
 
 OF PHILADELPHIA 
 (1731-1821) 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS WILLING BALCH 
 
 L. H. D. Trinity (Hartford) 
 
 Member of 
 
 The American Philosophical Society (Philadelphia) 
 
 The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Boston) 
 
 The American Antiquarian Society (Worcester) 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
 ALLEN, LANE AND SCOTT 
 
 1922 
 

 Copyright 
 
 By THOMAS WILLING BALCH 
 
 1922 
 
 Seventy-two copies of this work have been 
 printed. The type has been distributed. 
 
 This is number 
 
 3 
 
 4Pfi-4?3 
 
 C)CU7040^0 
 
 'Y. ft I 
 
TO 
 ELISE WILLING BALCH 
 
 1853-1913 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Philadelphia has had among her sons three finan- 
 ciers, each of whom in his day and generation took 
 a leading part in upholding and maintaining the 
 credit of America — Thomas Willing, Stephen Girard 
 and Jay Cooke. 
 
 "Old Square Toes," as Thomas Willing was often 
 affectionately called by his relatives, descendants, 
 and intimate friends — a nickname given him be- 
 cause of the broad toed shoes that he wore, and 
 a cognomen that in the public mind symbolized 
 the sound and sure basis of his financial opera- 
 tions — has not yet received a fair recognition of 
 the important services he rendered to the develop- 
 ment first of the Province of Pennsylvania and 
 then of the United States. Beginning with the 
 meeting of the Albany Congress, for a period of al- 
 most sixty years, he played a potent though not 
 spectacular role in American affairs. That so little 
 attention has as yet been given to his public 
 services, is no doubt due to the fact that during 
 the Revolution his junior partner was for more 
 than two years Financier General, or as we would 
 say today, Secretary of the Treasury of the United 
 States. The name "Financier," appealed easily to 
 
 ( vii ) 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 the popular imagination. As a result the more 
 spectacular doings of the junior partner of the 
 firm of Willing and Morris have been pushed into 
 the limelight, while it has been entirely forgotten 
 that Robert Morris for his financial operations for 
 the government had at his back the credit and 
 prestige of his firm — the leading firm in all the 
 colonies — of which Thomas WiUing was the head 
 and directing mind. Robert Morris was indeed 
 the partner of Thomas Willing. 
 
 There is only one thing in the career of Thomas 
 Willing of which, as one of his descendants, I am 
 not proud. That is that his firm sold slaves. Of 
 course it was in accord with the custom of the 
 times; everyone did it in the colonial period. With 
 this exception, however, the descendants of Thomas 
 Willing can look upon his whole career with great 
 pride. In this connection I take a personal pleas- 
 ure in the fact that my paternal grandfather 
 manumitted his slaves in Frederick County, Mary- 
 land, in the late twenties and the early thirties 
 of the nineteenth century. 
 
 This volume of Thomas Willing's letters and 
 writings, and other Willing papers, together with 
 a biographical essay giving some idea of his career, 
 is printed in a limited edition. The best collection 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 of Willing papers is the one I have presented to the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. They are all 
 printed in the present volume, together with letters 
 that are elsewhere. But undoubtedly there are nu- 
 merous other of Thomas Willing's letters in various 
 receptacles, and it is hoped that the present publica- 
 tion will bring some of them to light. There is all 
 the more reason to publish his letters so that the 
 man's fine character can be revealed in them to all 
 who may wish to study and write American history. 
 In collecting the facts and information upon 
 which this essay is based, I have received aid of 
 one kind or another from many sources: among 
 others I may mention my mother (the late Mrs. 
 Thomas Balch), John Thompson Spencer, Esq., 
 the present Thomas Francis Bayard, Esq., Charles 
 Willing, Esq., (son of the late Richard Lloyd 
 Willing, Esq.), Mrs. George Peirce (who was Miss 
 Lucy Spotswood), Miss Constance R. Beale, Mrs. 
 Howard Gardiner, Hampton Lawrence Carson, Esq., 
 the Hon. Simon Gratz, Dr. Thomas Lynch Mont- 
 gomery, and Messrs. Ernest Spofiford, and Albert 
 Cooke Myers. To these gracious women and curtious 
 men as well as others, my best thanks are due. 
 
 T. W. B. 
 Philadelphia, the 10th of November, 1922. 
 
THOMAS WILLING 
 
 OF PHILADELPHIA 
 
 (1731-1821) 
 
 When, by the peace of Paris in 1763, France 
 ceded Canada and all her North American con- 
 tinental possessions as far west as the Mississippi 
 River to Great Britain, all fear of future French 
 attacks was removed from the thoughts of the 
 English colonists along the Atlantic shore of 
 North America. The fear of that aggression 
 had been a real one for many a decade, and 
 had caused the colonists to look to and rely 
 upon the mother land for protection against the 
 repeated attacks of the French and their Indian 
 allies under Frontenac and Montcalm. But 
 with the signing of peace and the removal of 
 the French menace to the future peace and 
 happiness of the English colonies, the chief 
 factor that cemented the colonies and the 
 mother land into a close unison of mutual 
 concern vanished. And soon a divergence of 
 interests between them began to appear. For as 
 the mother land had been put to great expense 
 
II THOMAS WILLING 
 
 to carry on both in America and Europe the 
 repeated wars with France, the British King and 
 his advisers decided that it was proper that the 
 colonists should bear a proportion of the burdens 
 of taxation. But the Americans thought they 
 should not be taxed by the British Parliament 
 in which they were not represented. Accordingly 
 where concord had obtained between the colonies 
 and the mother land before the peace of 1763, 
 antagonism and discord began to appear after 
 that date. And so was started a rivalry that 
 eventually broke out into strife upon the field of 
 battle and resulted under the lead of Washington 
 in the separation of the colonies from Great 
 Britain and the establishment of thirteen new 
 independent and sovereign members of the family 
 of Nations. These thirteen States eventually came 
 to be welded and forged into the one present 
 Nation, the United States of America. 
 
 During all the years from 1760 until the 
 beginning of the second decade of the nineteenth 
 century, a period of half a century, one of the 
 potent but not spectacular figures in the develop- 
 ment of the colonies and the United States, was 
 Thomas Willing of Philadelphia, in his time the 
 leading merchant of the British North American 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. Ill 
 
 colonies and the first great banker of the young 
 United States. 
 
 Thomas WilHng's great-grandfather, Joseph 
 WilHng of Gloucestershire, England, married on 
 the 1st of July, 1672, first Elizabeth Plaver, who 
 died on the 14th of October, 1675, by whom he 
 had issue two sons: George, born on the r2th of 
 September, 1673, and Joseph, born on the 22nd 
 of September, 1675. The next year, he took 
 unto himself a second wife, Ava Lowle of 
 Glouchester, whom he married on the 24th of 
 May, 1676. She was an heiress of Saxon family 
 and good estate. She died the 31st of December, 
 ^7^7- Joseph Willing upon his marriage to Ava 
 Lowle, assumed her arms: "Sable, a hand 
 couped at the wrist, grasping three darts, one 
 in pale and two in sallure argent." By this 
 lady he had issue six children. Their eldest son 
 was Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, where 
 he was a prosperous and influential merchant. 
 He was born on the 6th of January, 1679-80; 
 and married on the i6th of July, 1704, Anne 
 Harrison, who was a grand-daughter of two of 
 the regicides. One was the redoubtable Major- 
 General Thomas Harrison of Cromwell's time and 
 a member of the Long Parliament, and the other 
 
IV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Simon Mayne of Lincolnshife.^ Thomas Willing 
 of Bristol, who married Mary Syms, by whom 
 he left surviving issue in England, first visited 
 America in 1720 in company with his younger 
 brother Richard Willing. They returned to 
 Bristol in 1725. The latter, who was born the 
 26th of May, 1 68 1, and died the 6th of Septem- 
 ber, 1736, is said to be buried in the mayor's 
 chapel at Bristol. 
 
 Having been much impressed during this first 
 trans-Atlantic visit with the future potential 
 greatness of the English North American colonies, 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, in 1728, again crossed 
 the Atlantic on a second visit to America. This 
 time he took with him his eldest son, Charles 
 Willing, then a youth of eighteen, to establish 
 him in business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
 the rising metropolis of the colonies. Returning 
 after a time to Bristol, Thomas Willing, the 
 father, died there in 1760. But during more 
 than two decades he kept up a constant corre- 
 spondence with his son Charles in Philadelphia 
 until the latter's death in 1754. 
 
 ^ Thomas Balch : Letters and Papers relating chiefly to the Provincial 
 History of Pennsylvania {The Shippen Papers), Philadelphia, 1855, 
 page c et seq. — R. Winder Johnson: The Ancestry of Rosalie Johnson; 
 Philadelphia, 1905, page 240. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. V 
 
 As the first of the family to remain per- 
 manently in America, Charles Willing may be 
 looked upon as the founder of the family in the 
 New World. He married at Philadelphia on the 
 2 1 St of January, 1730, Anne, daughter of Joseph 
 Shippen and his wife Abigail Grosse Shippen,^ 
 and granddaughter of Edward Shippen, first 
 mayor of Philadelphia under Penn's charter of 
 1 70 1. Charles Willing prospered in business and 
 
 ^ The arms borne by the Willings since the marriage of Joseph 
 Willing to his second wife, Ava Lowle, originally the arms of the 
 Lowles, are foirnd on ancient silver of the Willings, bequeathed by 
 will prior to 1754. These arms, ''Sable, a hand couped at the wrist, 
 grasping three darts, one in pale and two in sallure argent," are 
 found on an expensively cut seal impaling the arms of Shippen. 
 As is obvious from the impalement of the arms of Shippen, and as is 
 otherwise known, this seal belonged to Charles Willing of Phila- 
 delphia, the founder of the family in America. 
 
 Concerning the Shippen family see Thomas Balch: Letters 
 and Papers relating chiefly to the Provincial History of Pennsyl- 
 vania {The Shippen Papers), Philadelphia, 1855; — and Thomas 
 Willing Balch: The English Ancestors of the Shippens and Edward 
 Shippen of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, 1904: This article is also 
 printed in The Pennsylvania Magazine, Philadelphia, 1904. 
 
 Abigail Grosse, grandmother of Thomas Willing of Philadelphia, 
 was descended from Adam Winthrop of England, the grandfather 
 of Governor John Winthrop of the Massachxisetts Bay colony. 
 See note by Arthur Winfred Hodgman in the New England Historic 
 and Genealogical Register, July 1919, pages 238-239. This Grosse- 
 Winthrop genealogy was called to my attention by Colonel J. Granr 
 ville Leach, 
 
VI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 became a leading citizen of the city and the colony. 
 In 1747 he joined as a captain the Associated 
 Regiment that was organized for the defense of 
 Philadelphia and the region of Delaware Bay 
 against a possible attack by the French. In 
 1748 the non-Quaker element of the city, fearing 
 a French attack, elected him mayor of the city. 
 About this time he built a handsome house. 
 Describing it in The Republican Court, published 
 in 1855, Griswold says:^ 
 
 "His house, still standing at the south west 
 comer of Third Street and Willing's Alley, 
 though now deprived of its noble grounds, 
 running back to Fourth Street and far onward 
 down to Spruce Street, and shaded with oaks 
 that might be regarded as of the primeval 
 forests, is still remarked for its spacious comfort 
 and its old-fashioned repose." In a foot-note 
 on the same page, Griswold further comments 
 on the Willing grounds as follows: "The west 
 end of this lot, fronting on Fourth Street, M^ 
 Thomas Willing, son of [Charles Willing above] 
 mentioned, surrendered to his son-in-law and 
 nephew, M". Thomas Willing Francis, who built 
 
 ^ Rufus Wilmot Griswold: The Republican Court, New York, 
 185s, page 15. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. VII 
 
 Upon it the beautiful mansion now occupied 
 by M^ Joseph R. IngersoU. On the southern 
 part, Charles Willing himself built a residence, 
 which has since given place to other buildings, 
 for his son-in-law, Colonel William Byrd of 
 Westover in Virginia. General Washington for 
 some time had his head-quarters at Philadelphia 
 in this house. It was afterwards the residence 
 of Chief Justice Chew." 
 
 In 1749 Charles Willing was chosen one of 
 the first trustees of the University of Pennsyl- 
 vania.* In 1754 he was again chosen the chief 
 magistrate of the city. During his first term in 
 office he was an original subscriber to the 
 Assembly dances, and to-day his blood runs in 
 the veins of more subscribers to the historic 
 Philadelphia Assemblies than that of any sub- 
 scriber whose name is found on the first sub- 
 scription list of 1748-49. During his second 
 term as mayor in 1754, the yellow fever broke 
 out in Philadelphia. And Charles Willing, his 
 strength undermined by his exertions in his 
 
 * University of Pennsylvania: Matriculates of the College, 1749- 
 1893, Philadelphia, 1894, page xi. Thomas Harrison Montgomery: 
 A History of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1900, 
 page 52. 
 
VIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 official capacity to combat that dreaded disease, 
 fell one of its victims. Upon his death he was 
 succeeded in his business by his son Thomas 
 Willing of Philadelphia in which city he was 
 born the 19th of December, 1731. 
 
 Thomas Willing was sent in his youth to 
 England, where under the care, first of his 
 grandmother Willing he was educated at Bath, 
 and afterwards under direction of his uncle 
 Thomas Willing, of Bristol and London, he read 
 law in the Inner Temple. He was entered as 
 a student in the Inner Temple on the 5th of 
 October, 1748. 
 
 Returning home to Philadelphia in 1749, he 
 subscribed for the second season of the Assembly 
 Dances. And for the season of 1755, he was a 
 manager of those now historic dances, as a card 
 still extant tells us. 
 
 In the previous year, 1754, at the age of 
 twenty-three, he began his long career of service 
 to the State, which was to run on until 1811 
 when he was eighty years of age, a period 
 of fifty- seven years, by serving as a secretary 
 of the Pennsylvania delegation to the congress 
 of delegates from the colonies that was held 
 at Albany. That was the first gathering of 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. IX 
 
 representatives from the various provinces that 
 was convened to deliberate upon their common 
 welfare and future interests. And at that 
 Congress began in actual practice that American 
 policy that eventually, step by step, drew the 
 colonies ever closer together, until finally they 
 became in the first place thirteen independent 
 members of the family of Nations and sub- 
 sequently, owing in large part to the danger of 
 attack from outside, they became fused, upon the 
 adoption of the Federal Constitution, into one 
 prosperous and powerful member of that family 
 circle. 
 
 On the 8th of July, 1760, Thomas Willing 
 was elected a trustee of the University of 
 Pennsylvania,^ and served in that office until 
 he retired in 1791.^ He was chosen, along 
 with Richard Peters and Benjamin Chew, one 
 of the seven commissioners to have surveyed 
 the Pennsylvania- Maryland boundary line, form- 
 
 ^ Thomas Harrison Montgomery: A History of the University of 
 Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, 1900, page 105. 
 
 ^ University of Pennsylvania: Biographical Catalogue of the Matric- 
 ulates of the College together with a list of the members of the College 
 Faculties and the Trustees, Officers and recipients of honorary degrees ^ 
 i^4j-i8qj; Philadelphia, 1894, page xii. 
 
X THOMAS WILLING 
 
 ing a part of the famous Mason and Dixon 
 Line.^ 
 
 On the 6th of June, 1761, he was appointed 
 a judge of the Orphans's Court for the City 
 and County of Philadelphia.^ In the year 1763, 
 he was chosen mayor of Philadelphia. And he 
 was the first to sign the address of welcome 
 which "The Merchants and Traders of the City 
 of Philadelphia" addressed on the 21st of Novem- 
 ber in that year to John Penn upon his arrival 
 to assume the duties of Lieutenant Governor 
 and Commander-in-Chief of the Provinces.^ In 
 1765 his name likewise headed the list of Phila- 
 delphia merchants who signed the Non-Im- 
 portation Resolutions, in which the signers de- 
 clared the Stamp Act unconstitutional and 
 against the best interests both of the colonies 
 and Great Britain. ^^ And he was appointed 
 the chairman of the committee that was to 
 
 'Walter Lefferts: The Story of Pennsylvania's Southern Boundary; 
 Bulletin of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, January-Octo- 
 ber, 1920, page 97. 
 
 * John Hill Martin: Bench and Bar of Philadelphia, 1883, page 69. 
 
 ® Original manuscript in the collections of the Historical Society 
 of Pennsylvania. See post, page 23. 
 
 ^° Original manuscript in the collections of the Historical Society 
 of Pennsylvania. See post, page 29. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XI 
 
 call on the merchants of the city to sign these 
 important resolutions. In part those resolutions 
 read as follows : 
 
 "First, it is unanimously resolved and agreed 
 that in all orders, any of the Subscribers to 
 this Paper, may send to Great Britain for 
 goods, they shall and will direct their Corres- 
 pondents not to ship them until the Stamp Act 
 is repealed. 
 
 "Secondly, That, all those amongst the Sub- 
 scribers that have already sent orders to Great 
 Britain for goods, shall and will immediately 
 countermand the same until the Stamp Act is 
 Repealed. * * * 
 
 "Thirdly, that, none of the Subscribers hereto, 
 shall or will send any Goods or Merchandise 
 whatsoever that shall be ship'd them on Com- 
 mission from Great Britain after the first Day 
 of January next unless the Stamp Act he repeal 'd." 
 
 In 1767, Thomas WiUing was appointed a 
 justice of the Supreme Court of the Province 
 of Pennsylvania, and in that judicial office he 
 was one of the last to act in February, 1777, 
 under the colonial form of government. 
 
 On the loth of January, 1768, he was elected 
 a member of the American Philosophical Society, 
 
XII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 the oldest learned society in the new world and 
 a Philadelphia institution. 
 
 On the 1 8th of June, 1774, he and John Dick- 
 inson, presided together over a meeting of the 
 citizens of Philadelphia held in State House Yard, 
 at which it was resolved that the Act of Parlia- 
 ment closing the port of Boston was uncon- 
 stitutional and that it was expedient on the 
 part of America to convene a Continental 
 Congress. The next month, from the 15th to 
 the 22nd of July, a Provincial Congress of 
 delegates from the counties of Pennsylvania was 
 held in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. As 
 the first citizen of the American metropolis, 
 regard being had to the sources and weight of 
 Thomas Willing 's influence, he was chosen to 
 preside over this Provincial Congress of Pennsyl- 
 vania. Some of the resolutions voted, some- 
 times by a majority, sometimes unanimously, 
 were as follows:" 
 
 "4. That the inhabitants of these colonies are 
 entitled to the same rights and liberties within 
 these colonies, that the subjects born in England 
 are entitled to within that realm. 
 
 *^ Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd series, Harrisburg, 1875, Volume IIL, 
 pages 547-548. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XIII 
 
 "5. That the power assumed by the ParHa- 
 ment of Great Britain to bind the people of 
 these colonies, 'by statutes in all cases whatso- 
 ever,' is unconstitutional, and therefore the 
 source of these unhappy differences. 
 
 "6. That the Act of Parliament for shutting 
 the port of Boston, is unconstitutional; oppres- 
 sive to the inhabitants of that town; dangerous 
 to the liberties of the British Colonies; and, 
 therefore, that we consider our brethren at 
 Boston as suffering in the common cause of 
 these Colonies. 
 
 "9. That there is an absolute necessity that 
 a Congress of deputies from the several Colonies 
 be immediately assembled, to consult together 
 and form a general plan of conduct to be 
 observed by all the Colonies, for the purpose of 
 procuring relief for our suffering brethren, obtain- 
 ing redress of our grievances, preventing future 
 dissensions, firmly establishing our rights, and 
 restoring harmony between Great Britain and 
 her Colonies on a Constitutional foundation. 
 
 •I* •!* »t" »t* 5{C SfC iff 
 
 "14. That the people of this province will 
 break, off all trade, commerce and dealing, and 
 
XIV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 will have no trade, commerce or dealing of any 
 kind with any colony on this continent, or with 
 any city or town in such colony, or with any 
 individual in any such colony, city or town 
 which shall refuse, decline or neglect to adopt 
 and carry into execution such general plan as 
 shall be agreed to in Congress." 
 
 After the passage of these resolutions, a 
 committee of the Provincial Congress went to 
 the Pennsylvania Assembly, then in session in 
 the State House on Chestnut Street above 
 Fifth Street, to urge the Assembly to appoint 
 delegates to the proposed Continental Congress. 
 The next day the Provincial Assembly named as 
 delegates to represent Pennsylvania in the "first 
 named American Congress, "^^ Joseph Galloway, 
 the speaker of the Assembly, Samuel Rhoads, 
 Thomas Mifflin, Charles Humphreys, John Mor- 
 ton, George Ross and Edward Biddle.^^ 
 
 While not a member of the first Continental 
 Congress, Thomas Willing was in confidential 
 
 ^^ Carpenter's Hall Historical Association, published by the Com- 
 pany, Philadelphia, 1876, page 19. An Historical account of the Old 
 State House of Pennsylvania, now known as the Hall of Independence , 
 Boston, 1876, by Frank M. Etting. 
 
 ^' Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Prov- 
 ince of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1776, Vol. VL, page 520. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XV 
 
 touch and saw a great deal of most of the 
 men who were, and entertained many of them 
 at his house at the south west corner of South 
 Third Street and WilHng's Alley. Writing of 
 a dinner party at WilHng's at which were 
 present Washington, John Jay, Philip Livingston, 
 Patrick Henry, Peyton Randolph, William Paca 
 and Samuel Chase — John Adams in his diary 
 says : 
 
 "Sunday, it October, 1774. 
 
 "There is such a quick and constant suc- 
 cession of new scenes, characters, persons and 
 events turning up before me, that I can't keep 
 any regular account. * * * Dined at M^ 
 WilHng's, who is Judge of the Supreme Court 
 here, and the gentlemen from Virginia, Mary- 
 land and New York, a most splendid feast 
 again, turtle and everything else. M^ Willing 
 is the most sociable, agreeable man of all." 
 
 In 1775, Thomas Willing was elected by the 
 Pennsylvania Assembly one of the delegates of 
 the colony to the Second Continental Congress, 
 which met on the loth of May, 1775, in the 
 Pennsylvania State House. His co-delegates 
 were John Dickinson, Robert Morris, James 
 Wilson, Charles Humphreys, Edward Biddle, 
 
XVI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Andrew Allen, Benjamin Franklin, and John 
 Morton.'^ 
 
 In the course of 1775 he made a live and 
 practical contribution to the development of 
 settling controversies between the colonies or 
 States by judicial means. In that year the 
 Pennsylvania-Connecticut dispute over the posses- 
 sion of the Wyoming Valley came up before 
 the Continental Congress. Before the Revolu- 
 tion, according to the practice that had developed 
 in colonial times, the question had been appealed 
 to the King in Council for a judicial judgment. 
 But a decision had not been rendered. In 1775 
 the Pennsylvania Assembly appealed the question 
 to the Congress. John Rutledge of South 
 Carolina said it should be referred to two 
 commissioners, one to be appointed respectively 
 by each colony. Thereupon, Thomas Willing of 
 the Pennsylvania delegation and a justice of the 
 Supreme Court of that province, pointed out 
 that to insure a decision it would be necessary to 
 appoint a third commissioner or umpire. ^^ That 
 
 ^* Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province 
 of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1776, Vol. VI., pages 555, 586 and 587. 
 
 '^ Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1780, Worthington 
 Chauncey Ford, editor: Washington, 1908, Volume III., page 487. — 
 Thomas Willing Balch: A World Court in the Light of the United 
 States Supreme Court; Philadelphia, 1918, pages 14-29. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XVII 
 
 practical comment was one of the factors that 
 resulted in the provision in the articles of Con- 
 federation (1782) creating the setting up of 
 Inter-State Tribunals ad hoc to judge between 
 the member States of the Confederation. And 
 it was such an ad hoc Court, the Trenton 
 Tribunal, that judged between Pennsylvania 
 and Connecticut and finally decided by a 
 judicial decision the Wyoming controversy be- 
 tween them. 
 
 The war between the North American Colonies 
 and Great Britain was begun to defend the 
 political rights of the colonies, but without any 
 idea of finally severing the political ties that 
 bound the colonies to the motherland. Thus the 
 First Continental Congress in October, 1774, 
 used these words in its address to George the 
 Third: "Your royal authority over us, and our 
 connection with Great Britain, we shall always 
 carefully and zealously endeavor to support and 
 maintain. "^^ And the Second Continental Con- 
 gress, in its address of the 6th of July, 1775, 
 in which it stated the causes and reasons why 
 the Colonies took up arms, said: "Lest this 
 
 ^^ Journal of the Continental Congress, 17 74-1 789, Worthington 
 Chauncey Ford, editor, Washington, 1904, Volume I., page 119, 
 
XVIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 declaration should disquiet the minds of our 
 friends and fellow-subjects in any part of the 
 Empire, we assure them that we mean not to 
 dissolve that union which has so long and so 
 happily subsisted between us, and which we 
 sincerely wish to see restored. "^^ It was Thomas 
 Jefferson who wrote this public document, and 
 it was received with marks of approval through- 
 out the Colonies. 
 
 On the 8th of September, 1775, the Provincial 
 Congress of North Carolina disclaimed most 
 earnestly any idea of seeking to bring about 
 independence of Great Britain. ^^ 
 
 The Pennsylvania Assembly gave, on the 9th 
 of November, 1775, the following instructions to 
 the delegates it had elected to the Second 
 Continental Congress:^® 
 
 "Gentlemen: The trust reposed in you is of 
 
 " Journal of the Continental Congress, 17 74-1 789, Worthington 
 Chatmcey Ford, editor, Washington, 1905, Volume IL, page 155. 
 
 ^^ Francois-Xavier Martin: History of North Carolina, New Orleans, 
 1829, Volvime IL, pages 366-368. John H. Wheeler, Historical 
 Sketches of North Carolina, Philadelphia, 1851, Volume L, page 74. 
 
 ^^ Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Prov- 
 ince of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1776, Volume VL, page 647. 
 These instructions were drafted by John Dickinson. See Charles 
 J. Stills, LL.D.: The Life and Times of John Dickinson, Philadel- 
 phia, 1891, page 165. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XIX 
 
 such a Nature, and the Modes of executing it 
 may be so diversified in the Course of your 
 Deliberations, that it is scarcely possible to 
 give you particular Instructions respecting it. 
 
 We therefore, in general, direct that you, or 
 any Four of you, meet in Congress the Dele- 
 gates of the several Colonies now assembled in 
 this City, and any such Delegates as may meet 
 in Congress next Year; that you consult to- 
 gether on the present critical and alarming 
 State of public Affairs; that you exert your 
 utmost Endeavours to agree upon, and recom- 
 mend, such Measures as you shall judge to 
 afford the best Prospect of obtaining Redress of 
 American Grievances, and restoring that Union 
 and Harmony between Great Britain and the 
 Colonies so essential to the Welfare and Happi- 
 ness of both Countries. 
 
 "Though the oppressive Measures of the 
 British Parliament and Administration have com- 
 pelled us to resist their Violence by Force of 
 Arms, yet we strictly enjoin you, that you, in 
 Behalf of this Colony, dissent from, and utterly 
 reject, any Propositions, should such be made, 
 that may cause, or lead to, a Separation from 
 our Mother Country, or a Change of the Form 
 
XX THOMAS WILLING 
 
 of this Government [that is the Charter Govern- 
 ment of Pennsylvania]. 
 
 "You are directed to make Report of your 
 Proceedings to this House. 
 
 "Signed by order of the House: 
 
 ^'November 9, 1775. JOHN MORTON, 
 
 Speaker.'" 
 
 Thus the delegates of Pennsylvania in the 
 Second Continental Congress were bound by 
 those instructions of the Assembly of the Prov- 
 ince — which were much more explicitly and 
 positively expressed against independence than 
 the instructions given to the delegates to the 
 First Continental Congress^'' — not to vote for 
 independence of Great Britain. 
 
 On the 28th of November the Assembly of 
 New Jersey likewise bound the delegates of that 
 colony to resist any attempt to bring on inde- 
 pendence.^^ The instructions to the New Jersey 
 delegates were as follows: 
 
 "i. Resolved, That reports of Independency, 
 
 ^° Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives of the Province 
 of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, 1776, volume VI, page 587. 
 
 ^^ Minutes of the Provincial Congress and the Council of Safety of 
 the State of New Jersey, Trenton, 1879, page 300. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXI 
 
 in the apprehension of this House, are ground- 
 less. 
 
 "2. Resolved, That it be recommended to the 
 Delegates of the Colony to use their utmost 
 endeavours for the obtaining a redress of Ameri- 
 can grievances and for restoring the union 
 between the Colonies and Great Britain, upon 
 constitutional principles. 
 
 "3. Resolved, That the said Delegates be 
 directed not to give their assent to, but utterly 
 to reject any proposition, if such should be made 
 that they may separate this Colony from the 
 Mother Country, or change the form of Govern- 
 ment thereof." 
 
 On the 14th of December the Provincial 
 Congress of New York said that the people of 
 New York were still loyal to the Crown and the 
 state of unrest and turmoil in New York was 
 not a result of "a desire to become independent 
 of the British Crown. "'^ Qn the 25th of 
 December, Portsmouth in the colony of New 
 Hampshire, instructed its delegates to the Pro- 
 vincial Congress of New Hampshire to oppose 
 any attempt to form a local government, for fear 
 
 22 ^g^ York Journal or the General Advertiser, December 21, 177s, 
 No. 1720, page 3. 
 
XXII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 it might be inferred that "we are aiming at 
 independence, which we totally disallow. "^^ On 
 the 1 2th of January, 1776, the Maryland Con- 
 vention instructed the Maryland delegates to the 
 Continental Congress to oppose any move toward 
 independence until the delegation had convened 
 and consulted the Convention.^* The Convention 
 in its instructions to the delegates to the Con- 
 tinental Congress said: 
 
 "The experience we and our ancestors have 
 had of the mildness and equity of the English 
 Constitution, under which we have grown up to 
 and enjoyed a state of felicity, not exceeded 
 among any people we know of, until the grounds 
 of the present controversy were laid by the min- 
 istry and parliament of Great Britain, has most 
 strongly endeared to us that form of government 
 from whence these blessings have been derived, and 
 makes us ardently wish for a reconciliation with 
 the mother country, upon terms that may insure 
 
 to these colonies an equal and permanent freedom. 
 ******* 
 
 ^^ John H. Hazelton: The Declaration of Independence, New York, 
 1906, page 13. 
 
 ^* Proceedings of the Convention of the Province of Maryland held 
 at the City of Annapolis in 1774, 1775 and 1776: Baltimore and 
 Annapolis, 1836, pages 82-83. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXIII 
 
 "We further instruct you, that you do not 
 without the previous knowledge and approbation 
 of the Convention of this province, assent to any 
 proposition to declare these colonies independent 
 of the crown of Great Britain, nor to any 
 proposition for making or entering into alliance 
 with any foreign power, nor to any union or 
 confederation of these colonies." 
 
 Likewise as late as the 29th of November, 
 1775, the Continental Congress, which represented 
 all the Colonies, said in a letter to the agents of 
 the Colonies in England that "There is nothing 
 more ardently desired by North America than a 
 lasting union with Great Britain on terms of just 
 and equal liberty. "^^ 
 
 The growth of the movement for independence 
 was a gradual one.^^ In the beginning, shortly 
 after the annexation of Canada in 1763 to the 
 possessions of the British Crown had removed 
 the chief source of outside danger to the British 
 
 ^^ Journal of the Continental Congress, I774-I78g, Worthington 
 Chauncey Ford, editor: Washington, 1905, Volume III, page 
 991. 
 
 ^ The Examination of Joseph Galloway, Esq., by a Committee of 
 the House of Commons, edited by Thomas Balch, Philadelphia, 1855, 
 passim. Edward McCrady: South Carolina in the Revolution, 1775- 
 1780; New York, 1901, pages 166-176. 
 
XXIV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Empire in North America, thereby allowing 
 rivalry and strained relations between Great 
 Britain and her colonies to appear and gradually 
 year by year become more bitter, the leading 
 men and practically all of the people in the 
 colonies were still in favor of the attachment with 
 Great Britain. The friendly feelings of the 
 colonists for the motherland, however, were at 
 first outraged and then gradually in the course of 
 years by degrees practically obliterated by a long 
 series of ill-considered and selfish legislation on 
 the part of Great Britain. The most obnoxious 
 of these acts were the Stamp Act, the levy on 
 tea and the enforcement of the Navigation Acts. 
 The Stamp Act meant in fact for the colonists 
 taxation without representation. And as the levy 
 on tea was to be used to pay the salaries of the 
 representatives of the crown in the colonies, those 
 officials would as a result be placed beyond the 
 control of the colonial legislative bodies. By the 
 Navigation Act of 1663, the colonists were 
 prohibited from trading directly with foreign 
 ports. The trade with foreign countries could 
 only be carried on from English ports. But the 
 colonists disregarded this restriction and shipped 
 cargoes directly to foreign ports and brought 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXV 
 
 back European products in their own vessels. ^' 
 Consequently, as event after event followed one 
 another, owing partly to the stupidity and partly 
 to the selfishness of the men who ruled England, 
 the movement for American independence, fanned 
 by ambitious agitators who were practically at the 
 bottom of the social ladder and consequently had 
 everything to gain from any sort of a change and 
 little or nothing to lose, suddenly began in 1776 
 to forge ahead. As a result, as happens often 
 now-a-days about other momentous questions, one 
 important politician after another, in spite of 
 himself, was reasoned into favoring the idea of 
 cutting the bonds that united the thirteen col- 
 onies with the motherland. In that way the 
 delegation of colony after colony was won over 
 in favor of independence. 
 
 The most important and vital opposition to a 
 final and absolute break with Great Britain was 
 in Pennsylvania. On account of her wealth and 
 geographical position, the keystone in the arch of 
 the colonies, Pennsylvania was easily the most 
 influential of the thirteen colonies. ^^ And her 
 
 ^^ Sydney George Fisher: The Struggle for American Independence: 
 Philadelphia, 1908, Volxime I., pages 39-40, 
 
 ^^ Edmund Burke's Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies, March 
 22, 1775. Works, Dublin, 1793, Volume II., page 34. 
 
XXVI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 favorable action was most necessary to the move- 
 ment for independence. 
 
 Virginia and Massachusetts, the two colonies 
 most anxious for independence of the British 
 Crown, had much to complain of specifically of 
 Great Britain. Pennsylvania, on the contrary, 
 had probably less cause for dissatisfaction with 
 the British Government than any of the thirteen 
 provinces. Her government was proprietary. 
 All classes of the people of Pennsylvania honored 
 the name of William Penn. His sons and grand- 
 sons were the governors of the province. As 
 compared with some of the other colonial gover- 
 nors they had been liberal governors. Under the 
 charter granted to the colony by Penn in 1701, 
 with its supporting statutes enacted into laws in 
 the succeeding years, the people of Pennsylvania 
 had won a degree of independence unknown in 
 most, perhaps in all of the other twelve col- 
 onies. In fact, the fight for constitutional free- 
 dom in Pennsylvania had been won in the 
 main, when the struggle for American independ- 
 ence began. ^^ 
 
 "Pennsylvania," when the Revolution began, 
 
 ^® Burton Alva Konkle: George Bryan and the Constitution of Penn- 
 sylvania, I73i-i7gi\ Philadelphia, 1922. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXVII 
 
 Dr. Stille writes,^° "was then governed, as is well 
 known, by a charter which had been granted by 
 William Penn in the year 1701. The New England 
 theory was, so far as it applied to Pennsylvania 
 (but not to their own Connecticut and Rhode 
 Island, where there were royal charters to which 
 the same objection might have been made as 
 was made to the Proprietary charter of Pennsyl- 
 vania), that there could be no independence of 
 Great Britain, while the Proprietary government 
 of this Province remained in force. Hence to 
 achieve national independence it became necessary 
 to destroy that charter of William Penn which 
 had become dear to the people of this Province, 
 and under which it had reached a degree of 
 material prosperity far greater than that of any 
 other Colony. This is perhaps the reason why 
 the people of Pennsylvania did not seize upon the 
 prospect of independence with as much alacrity 
 as the people of some of the other Colonies." 
 
 In order to force the hand of Pennsylvania, 
 there was brought before the whole house of 
 Congress, "in concert between" John Adams of 
 Massachusetts and Richard Henry Lee of Vir- 
 
 '" Charles J. Stills, LL.D.: The Life and Times of John Dickinson, 
 1732-1808; Philadelphia, 1891, pages 169-170. 
 
XXVIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 ginia,'^ on the loth of May, 1776, the following 
 resolution, which was aimed especially to overturn 
 the Proprietary government of Pennsylvania, and 
 was voted by Congress with that purpose: 
 
 "Resolved, that it be recommended to the 
 respective Assemblies and Conventions of the 
 United Colonies, where no Government sufficient 
 to the exigencies of their affairs has been hitherto 
 established, to adopt such Government as shall, 
 in the opinion of the Representatives of the 
 People, best conduce to the happiness and safety 
 of their Constituents in particular, and America 
 in general. "^^ 
 
 James Allen, the third son of Chief Justice 
 Allen, was elected on the first of May, 1776, 
 a representative from Northampton County to 
 the Pennsylvania Assembly, by 853 votes to 14. 
 Concerning the resolve of Congress of the lOth 
 of May, he makes the following comment on 
 the 15th: "Yesterday the Resolve of Congress 
 was read by Bradford at the Coffee-House. One 
 man only huzzaed; in general it was ill received. 
 We stared at each other * * * Moderate men 
 look blank and yet the Majority of the City 
 
 ^^ John Adams, Works, Boston, 1851, Volume IIL, page 44. 
 ^^ The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 22, 1776. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXIX 
 
 and province are of that stamp; as is evident 
 from the Election of new members." ^^ 
 
 When, however, it appeared from the representa- 
 tions of John Dickinson and other Pennsylvanians, 
 that Pennsylvania already had a government 
 controlled by the representatives elected by the 
 people of the Province, John Adams, "our self- 
 constituted Mentor," as Dr. Stille^* justly described 
 him in the circumstances, persuaded the Congress 
 on the 15th of May to pass a preamble, as 
 follows : 
 
 "Whereas, his Britannic Majesty, in conjunc- 
 tion with the lords and commons of Great 
 Britain, has, by a late act of Parliament, 
 excluded the inhabitants of these United Colonies 
 from the protection of his crown; And whereas, 
 no answer, whatever, to the humble petitions of 
 the colonies for redress of grievances and recon- 
 ciliation with Great Britain, has been or is 
 likely to be given; but, the whole force of that 
 Kingdom, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be 
 exerted for the destruction of the good people of 
 
 '' Diary aj James Allen: The Pennsylvania Magazine, Philadel. 
 phia, 1885, Voltime IX, pp. 186-7. 
 
 ^* Charles J. Stille, LL.D,: The Life and Times of John Dickinson, 
 1732-1808, Philadelphia, 1891, pages 178-179. 
 
XXX THOMAS WILLING 
 
 these colonies; And whereas, it appears absolutely 
 irreconcilable to reason and good Conscience, for 
 the people of these colonies now to take the 
 oaths and affirmations necessary for the support 
 of any government under the crown of Great 
 Britain, and it is necessary that the exercise of 
 every kind of authority under the said crown 
 should be totally suppressed, and all the powers 
 of government exerted, under the authority of 
 the people of the colonies, for the preservation of 
 internal peace, virtue, liberties, and properties, 
 against the hostile invasions and cruel depre- 
 dations of their enemies; therefore, resolved," 
 etc.^^ 
 
 Of course the Congress had no legal power to 
 control the government of Pennsylvania, nor to 
 direct the Pennsylvanians when and how to 
 change their form of government in order to 
 make plain sailing for those colonies that were 
 anxious to break all political ties with Great 
 Britain. There was at that time no United 
 States of America, not even a Confederation of 
 the several provinces. The thirteen colonies had 
 all sent delegates to the Congress. But each 
 colony was acting strictly upon its own authority 
 
 I 
 
 35 
 
 The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 22, 1776. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXXI 
 
 without having agreed by any plan or scheme 
 whatsoever, to be bound by a vote of the other 
 colonies. Each province was free to act upon 
 its own initiative. 
 
 On the 20th of May, a meeting of citizens 
 who were in favor of a complete break with 
 Great Britain, was held in State House Yard.^^ 
 The meeting approved the Resolve of Congress 
 of the loth and the 15th of May, opposed the in- 
 structions given by the House of Assembly to the 
 delegates of Pennsylvania not to vote for inde- 
 pendence, and further voted in favor of calling a 
 Convention of the Province to carry out the 
 resolve of Congress of the loth and the 15th of 
 May to revise the government of Pennsylvania 
 so that it would conform more with the views 
 entertained by the leaders of Massachusetts and 
 Virginia. 
 
 A few days later, at a meeting of inhabitants 
 of Philadelphia, a remonstrance was sent to the 
 House of Assembly in opposition to the "Protest" 
 of the 20th of May meeting.^^ The proponents 
 of the existing government of Pennsylvania 
 maintained that while some colonies were at the 
 
 ^® The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 22, 1776. 
 ^' The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 22, 1776. 
 
XXXil THOMAS WILLING 
 
 mercy of arbitrary royal Governors who pre- 
 vented the representatives of the people from 
 legislating, Pennsylvania on the contrary was 
 governed by an Assembly representative of her 
 people. "We remonstrate," they went on to 
 say, "against the said Protest, as setting on foot 
 a measure which tends to disunion and must 
 damp the zeal of multitudes of the good people 
 of Pennsylvania in the common cause, who, 
 having a high veneration for their civil and 
 religious rights, as secured by our charter, never 
 conceived, when they engaged, among other 
 things, for the support of the charter rights of 
 another colony, that they would be called upon 
 to make a sacrifice of their own charter.'' Then 
 the supporters of the Charter of 1701 and the As- 
 sembly of Pennsylvania went on to point out that 
 there was nothing in the existing situation of the 
 affairs of Pennsylvania that demanded her people 
 to sacrifice their charter, while other colonies — 
 such as Rhode Island and Connecticut who were 
 likewise governed by Assemblies whose legal 
 authority was granted by their charter as truly 
 as the legal authority of the Assembly of 
 Pennsylvania was derived by the charter of the 
 Province — were allowed to continue to live imder 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXXIII 
 
 their ancient form of government without con- 
 ventions being invoked to destroy ahke their 
 charters and their representative Assemblies. 
 The remonstrance concluded by indicating that 
 whatever changes might be necessary to the 
 proper continuance of the government of Pennsyl- 
 vania in the existing state of affairs, "that 
 authority is fully vested in our Representatives 
 in Assembly freely and annually chosen." 
 
 It is reasonable to presume that Thomas 
 Willing, as well as John Dickinson and Robert 
 Morris, had a hand in organizing this meeting 
 in defense of the Pennsylvania charter of 1701. 
 
 On the 7th of June, Richard Henry Lee intro- 
 duced in the Congress his motion for indepen- 
 dence. The same day the Committee on Instruc- 
 tions of the House of Assembly of Pennsylvania 
 reported to that body a new set of instructions 
 for Pennsylvania's delegates in Congress. And 
 on the 8th of June, "The House resumed the 
 consideration of the Instructions to the Delegates 
 of this Province in Congress, which being gone 
 through and approved of, were ordered to be 
 transcribed."^* These new instructions as drawn 
 
 ^^ Proceedings of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, 
 Philadelphia, 1776, Volume VI., page 738. 
 
XXXIV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 rescinded the former instructions of the 9th of 
 November, 1775, to the Pennsylvania delegation 
 to oppose independence, and left the delegates 
 free to vote for independence. On the 14th of 
 June, with only thirty-five members and the speaker 
 present, less than a quorum of the house, 
 the new instructions, having been "transcribed 
 according to Order, were signed by the Speaker. "^^ 
 Richard Henry Lee's resolution for independence 
 was taken up on the ist of July, in the Com- 
 mittee of the Whole. Pennsylvania voted in the 
 negative. Of her delegation, Thomas Willing, 
 
 ^^ Proceedings of the House of Representatives of Pennsylvania, 
 Philadelphia, 1776, VolvimeVL, pages 739-740. Charles J. Still6,LL.D.: 
 The Life and Times of John Dickinson, 1731-1808, Philadelphia, 
 1891, Volume L, pages 188-189. Dr. Stills says: "The new instruc- 
 tions were approved by the Assembly on June 8, and laid aside in 
 order to be transcribed for their final passage on the 14th of June. 
 When that day arrived, it appeared that there was not a quorum 
 of members, the rules requiring that two-thirds of the whole number 
 should be present for the transaction of business. On the 14th of 
 June the Assembly (thirty-six members being present) passed as 
 the true representatives of the people of Pennsylvania the following 
 resolution, fitting expression of their true patriotism: 'Resolved, 
 by the members of Assembly now present, that they are earnestly 
 desirous of carrying into effect the resolutions of Congress of the 
 ist instant (in regard to raising the quota of troops required from 
 this State), but there is no quorum, and therefore we cannot pro- 
 ceed.' The Whigs in the Assembly, by a secret understanding, had 
 withdrawn after the 8th of June, and never again took their seats 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXXV 
 
 Robert Morris, John Dickinson and Charles 
 Humphreys voted against the motion to report 
 the Lee resolution. James Wilson, Benjamin 
 Franklin and John Morton voted for the motion, 
 while Edward Biddle and Andrew Allen were 
 absent from the Congress.'^ South Carolina also 
 voted against the motion.^^ Delaware's vote was 
 a tie. And New York did not vote. But the 
 other provinces voted to report the Lee resolution, 
 and so by a majority vote of the provinces, the 
 motion to report was carried. The next day, the 
 second of July, the Lee resolution was voted on. 
 
 in that body, so that no quorum could be had for its organization. 
 They took this course either because they regarded the Assembly 
 as without any legal power since the vote of Congress of May 10-15, 
 1776; or because the Assembly had by the new instructions protested 
 against any attempt to change the home government; or because 
 they felt that if by their withdrawal they could for a short time 
 paralyze the action of the Assembly, the progress of the Revolution 
 would do the rest. At any rate, thus fell the Provincial Assembly, 
 keeping up its shadowy existence until the close of August, 1776, 
 a quorum for business being at no time present. Its fall raises many 
 interesting questions,— among others, where and in whom was vested 
 the legal authority when the assent of Pennsylvania was supposed 
 to have been given to the Declaration of Independence on the 4th 
 of July, 1776." 
 
 *" Herbert Friedenwald: The Declaration of Independence-. New 
 York, 1904, pages 128-129. 
 
 John H. Hazelton: The Declaration of Independence; its 
 History: New York, 1906, pages 163, 198. 
 
XXXVI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Of the Pennsylvania delegation, Messrs. Dickinson 
 and Morris, being absent either purposely or by 
 chance, and the other delegates casting their votes 
 as on the previous day, Pennsylvania's vote along 
 with that of Delaware and all the other colonies — 
 except that of New York, whose delegation 
 abstained from voting — was cast in favor of 
 independence.^^ Two days later, on the 4th of 
 July, the formal paper prepared by the committee 
 headed by Jefferson was adopted. 
 
 Thus Pennsylvania's vote, on this momentous 
 issue, was given not by a majority of her 
 delegates, but merely by a majority of her 
 delegates present. Or in other words, Pennsyl- 
 vania's vote for independence was cast by a 
 voting majority composed only of one-third of 
 her elected representatives. 
 
 Thomas Willing — who had been bred to the 
 Law in the Inner Temple in London, had sat 
 since 1767 as a Justice of the Supreme Court of 
 the Province, and was the head of the leading 
 mercantile firm, not merely of the city and the 
 Province, but also in all the colonies as well — 
 was of the opinion, as he states in his auto- 
 
 *^ Sydney George Fisher : The Struggle for A merican Independence, 
 Philadelphia, 1908, Volume I., page 459. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXXVII 
 
 biography, that the instructions of the Provincial 
 Assembly of the 9th of November, 1775, had not 
 been properly rescinded. In his autobiography, 
 after mentioning that he "was present when the 
 vote of Independence was passed in Congress 
 in 1776," he goes on to say: "I voted against 
 this Declaration in Congress, not only because 
 I thought America at that time unequal to such 
 a conflict as must ensue (having neither Arms, 
 Ammunition or Military Experience), but chiefly 
 because the Delegates of Pennsylvania were not 
 then authorized by their instructions from the 
 Assembly, or the voice of the People at large 
 to join in such a vote." His partner, Robert 
 Morris, on the 20th of July, 1776, in a letter to 
 Colonel Joseph Reed, thus expressed himself con- 
 cerning the rupture with Great Britain.*^ **I am 
 not for making any sacrifice of dignity, but still 
 I would hear them [the British Commissioners] if 
 possible; because, if they can offer peace on 
 admissible terms, I believe the great majority of 
 America would still be for accepting it." Further 
 on in the same letter, Morris said: "I have 
 uniformly voted against and opposed the Declara- 
 
 ^* Peter Force: American Archives, Fifth Series, Washington, 
 1848, Volume L, page 468. 
 
XXXVIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 tion of Independence, because in my poor opinion, 
 it was an improper time, and will neither promote 
 the interest nor redound to the honour of America; 
 for it has caused division when we wanted union, 
 and will be ascribed to very different principles 
 than those which ought to give rise to such an 
 important measure." 
 
 There were other associations besides Willing's 
 training in the Law, first in the Inner Temple in 
 London and afterwards on the Bench in his 
 homeland, that strengthened him in his reluctance 
 to break finally and irrevocably with Great Britain. 
 During his whole past career, Thomas Willing 
 had defended Penn's Charter of 1701, which, with 
 its supporting statutes, was the palladium of the 
 liberties of Pennsylvania. And now at the call 
 of other colonies led by John Adams of Massa- 
 chusetts — who naturally thought first of all of the 
 interests of his own Massachusetts and not of 
 those of Pennsylvania — that much prized charter 
 of Pennsylvania was to be destroyed. Also with 
 his family, Thomas Willing was associated with 
 Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, and so with 
 the established Church of England which had 
 retained its orders of archbishops and bishops. 
 The American colonies had been settled largely 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XXXIX 
 
 by the Protestant Churches of Great Britain and 
 the continent who had rejected the order of 
 bishops. The Reformed Churches who drew 
 their poUty from Geneva were naturally inclined 
 towards Republicanism. And though the estab- 
 lished Church of England of the eighteenth 
 century was different in many ways from the 
 Protestant Episcopal church of to-day, in that 
 then its clergy all wore the Geneva or scholar's 
 gown and that it did not try to deny having 
 received a large part of its religious inspiration 
 by the way of Geneva, still it was naturally 
 more conservative in its associations with the 
 motherland than the Reformed Churches were. 
 The latter had been trampled upon by the 
 government of England and their adherents 
 forced to leave the old country to seek new 
 homes in America. Naturally they were ready to 
 rebel against the government that had oppressed 
 them.*'' So Thomas Willing was impelled by his 
 legal training, by his associations, both in- 
 herited and personal, with the Penns, and by 
 his religious affiliations to look with anxiety 
 
 ** Thomas Balch : Les Frangais en Atnerique pendant la Guerre de 
 VIndependance des Etats-Unis, 1777-178 3, Paris and Philadelphia, 
 1872. 
 
XL THOMAS WILLING 
 
 upon a final break with Great Britain. To 
 a man with his high sense of honor, loyalty 
 and integrity — who believed firmly in the Magna 
 Charta of the people of Pennsylvania, the charter 
 of 1 70 1 — such influences naturally would count 
 far more than if he had been at the bottom 
 instead of at the top of the social ladder. So to 
 his credit, he voted fearlessly and loyally until 
 the end, and Humphreys along with him, in 
 accordance with the instructions which the Assem- 
 bly of Pennsylvania had given to her delegates in 
 Congress. 
 
 Then a convention of possibly about a hundred 
 people met without legal authority under the 
 Government of Pennsylvania, but under the 
 moral sanction of the Congress, led by Massa- 
 chusetts and Virginia. This Convention, which in 
 reality was merely a rump meeting, proceeded to 
 elect on the 20th of July a new delegation to the 
 Congress.''^ It re-appointed Wilson, Franklin, Mor- 
 ton, and Morris, and five new members, some of 
 
 *^ Charles J. Stille: The Life and Times of John Dickinson, 1732- 
 1808; Philadelphia, 1891, Volume I, page 189. John H. Hazelton, 
 The Declaration of Independence, its History: New York, 1906, pages 
 190, 192. 
 
 Journal of the Continental Congress, 17 74-1 789, Worthington 
 Chauncey Ford, editor: Washington, D. C, 1906, page 596. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XLI 
 
 them of its own number, George Ross, Benjamin 
 Rush, James Smith, George Clymer, and George 
 Taylor. These nine delegates, a majority of whom 
 were not members of the Congress when that body 
 voted in favor of independence, signed the Dec- 
 laration*^ subsequently in August. 
 
 As the capitalist and head of the famous firm, 
 first known as Willing, Morris and Company, 
 then as Willing, Morris and Inglis, and after- 
 wards as Willing, Morris and Swanwick, Thomas 
 Willing was long and closely associated with 
 Robert Morris. In the trying times of the 
 Revolution each of the two men knew intimately, 
 as their letters show, the thoughts and policy of 
 the other and acted in close unison in aiding to 
 steer, during the days of stress and storm of 
 war, the united colonies into a haven of safety 
 at its close. And though Robert Morris signed 
 the Declaration against which he had voted in 
 the first instance, and had not actually voted for 
 it in the second instance but merely absented 
 himself, nevertheless, with Thomas Willing, the 
 senior member as well as the capitalist of the 
 firm, he continued on the most friendly and 
 
 *® John H. Hazelton: The Declaration of Independence, its History: 
 New York, 1906, page 193 et seq. 
 
XLII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 intimate terms. As the financial official of the 
 united colonies in the struggle with Great 
 Britain from 1780 on, Robert Morris had the 
 prestige of the firm of Willing and Morris, the 
 most important and powerful commercial firm in 
 Philadelphia, the metropolis of the thirteen 
 colonies, at his back. The firm traded with 
 Europe and the West Indies. Its vessels sailed 
 on a large part of the seven seas. And the 
 large property and still larger credit of Thomas 
 Willing stood back of the firm. 
 
 Not merely in hastily written articles in the 
 newspapers of to-day, but even also in many 
 reputable historical works this firm is erroneously 
 mentioned as "Morris, Willing & Company." 
 There was no such firm. There are many letters 
 written and signed by Robert Morris in his own 
 hand, "Willing, Morris & Company." It is 
 natural to suppose that he knew the correct 
 name of the firm. And likewise there are letters 
 written and signed by Thomas Willing in the 
 same way. From time to time as the member- 
 ship of the firm of which Thomas Willing was 
 the head changed, the name of the firm also 
 changed. For a number of years the title of 
 the firm was Willing, Morris and Inglis, and 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XLIII 
 
 later on the name of the firm was WilHng, 
 Morris and Swan wick. But during the forty 
 years or so that Thomas WilHng and Robert 
 Morris were associated together as partners in 
 business, the name of Willing always headed the 
 title of the firm. 
 
 It was chiefly upon the credit and prestige of 
 that firm that Morris relied until the Bank of 
 North America was established. And of that 
 firm Willing was the head and financial brains. 
 For example, in a letter that Willing wrote 
 from Philadelphia to Morris on the 12*'' of 
 February, 1778, the following passage shows that 
 Willing had a more practical and sound financial 
 judgment than his junior partner, who in this 
 instance at least was rather happy go lucky as a 
 financier and devoid of vision. Willing writes to 
 Morris:'^ "Feb^ 12*. Two days ago I was 
 call'd upon by T. Coxe w^ a draft of T. Tilgh- 
 man's in fav"" of M''. Francis dated i'* Aug"* 
 1776 on W. M.& Co. to pay her what Money she 
 may want out of the Effects of F. Tilghman 
 under y'^ Care — I told him I knew nothing ab* 
 those affairs, had never any thing to do with 
 them, & had it not in my power to pay any- 
 
 47 
 
 See post page 66. 
 
XLIV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 thing — that I suppos'd you had taken away their 
 books, etc. w*" y"" own, and wou'd pay or settle 
 w*' M". Tilghman, & pay him the kind of 
 money you had received for him in his absence — 
 this shows you the necessity of settHng such 
 matters as soon as you can, or else such demands 
 will be made on me to be paid in hard money 
 continually — this will be the Case in Wilson's & 
 Gibb's affair perhaps." 
 
 Not the least of the assets of the firm was the 
 high social prestige of its senior member and 
 head. Not only a great merchant himself in 
 succession to his father, who had been a leading 
 merchant and citizen of Philadelphia before him, 
 as the latter' s father had achieved commercial 
 success in the sea faring port of Bristol, England 
 — and the Bristol of the first half of the eight- 
 eenth century was a much more important 
 commercial port of Great Britain relatively than 
 the Bristol of the early twentieth century — 
 Thomas Willing, owing to his connection, through 
 his mother, with the historic family of Shippen, 
 had a credit that appealed to the landed, 
 moneyed and mercantile world of those times. 
 In the provincial history of Pennsylvania, almost 
 from the first landing of Penn down to the 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XLV 
 
 outbreak of the Revolution, the Shippen family 
 played a commanding part. Through Edward 
 Shippen, the emigrant of that name, Edward 
 Shippen "of Lancaster," Colonel Joseph Shippen 
 and others, for four generations it helped to 
 govern Pennsylvania. No other family in Penn- 
 sylvania came anywhere near equalling the 
 Shippens in the length of long continued and 
 substantial services rendered in high official 
 positions to the Province and the State. 
 
 By inheritance through his mother, Thomas 
 Willing possessed that great prestige of the 
 Shippens. He understood and could talk the 
 language of people who possessed traditions that 
 ran back for several generations, a language all 
 their own. Thus it was naturally impressed upon 
 him in countless ways from early youth that he 
 was merely a link in a chain. So instinctively 
 he looked upon events as they took their root 
 far back in the past, and thereby acquired a 
 vision for the distant future denied to the self 
 made man who naturally looks merely at the 
 moment or the span of his own life time. 
 
 How much the commercial power and credit of 
 the firm of Willing and Morris meant in support 
 of Robert Morris in the post of financial officer 
 
XLVI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 of the American cause, is attested by some letters 
 that WilHng wrote to Morris in the autumn of 
 1777 showing that in the previous year the credit 
 of the firm had been attacked in England by 
 rumors and innuendoes, which found their way 
 to New York, then in the hands of the British, 
 evidently with the view of undermining the credit 
 of the firm to the detriment of the American 
 cause .*^ 
 
 During the occupation of Philadelphia in 1777 
 and 1778 by General Howe, Thomas Willing 
 remained in the city. When Howe sent a person 
 to administer to Willing the oath of allegiance to 
 King George the Third, Willing refused to take 
 it/^ And while the British possession of the city 
 lasted. Willing and his family, and he was the 
 leading citizen of Philadelphia, took no part in 
 the social entertainments of the British Officers. 
 The families of other notables were actively 
 interested in the famous Meschianza in which the 
 chivalric but ill fated Major Andre took a 
 leading part. The Willings who were fond of 
 
 *^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters (Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 *® Horace Wemyss Smith : Life and Correspondence of the Rev. 
 William Smith, D.D.: Philadelphia, 1880, Volume IL, page 511. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XLVII 
 
 social amusements, however, remained severely 
 aloof from the affair. 
 
 While the British occupied Philadelphia, Thomas 
 Willing received from General Howe the terms 
 upon which the latter was ready and anxious 
 to reestablish peace between America and Great 
 Britain. Howe was prepared to recognize the status 
 of affairs in which the colonies were in 1763. 
 In addition, he was ready to grant them other 
 privileges, among them to recognize the legality 
 of the American paper money. Willing simply 
 transmitted General Howe's terms to the Con- 
 gress. He did not advise concerning them. 
 He repeated them verbally to John Brown, whom 
 he then sent to communicate them to his partner 
 and friend, Robert Morris. The latter was a 
 member of the Continental Congress and had left 
 Philadelphia with that body at the approach of 
 the British army. Morris, who was then at 
 Manheim in Lancaster County, communicated 
 Howe's terms to other members of the Congress. 
 But they were never considered. 
 
 By remaining in Philadelphia on speaking terms 
 with General Howe during the British occupation 
 of the city and managing to maintain and safe- 
 guard the financial status and credit of the firm 
 
XLVIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 of Willing and Morris, Thomas Willing did a 
 great, though not spectacular service to the 
 American cause. For the credit of the firm of 
 which Willing was the head gave to Morris much 
 of his prestige when the latter was the financial 
 officer of the colonies. 
 
 When, a number of years after the war for 
 independence had been fought and won, Robert 
 Morris determined on embarking in vast land 
 speculations in many places all over the United 
 States — from which he expected fondly to gain a 
 colossal fortune, but which ultimately, coupled 
 with his lavish expenditures, resulted in his 
 complete financial ruin — ^^ Thomas Willing, with 
 a far better judgment of the financial realities 
 of the times, insisted that their long and close 
 business connection must close. In view of all 
 these facts, it is only natural to suppose that 
 Morris in his official capacity as national financial 
 officer of the United Colonies, received and was 
 steadied by the sound and practical financial 
 advice of his partner. 
 
 Though Thomas Willing, doubtless because he 
 was the leading active representative of the 
 
 ^ William Graham Sumner: The Financier and the Finances of 
 the American Revolution: New York, 1891, Volvime II. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. XLIX 
 
 conservative and aristocratic party in the City 
 and the State, and also on account of his vote 
 against independence, was not re-elected to the 
 Continental Congress in July, 1776, yet such was 
 the esteem in which he was held, not only in 
 Philadelphia but also through the country at 
 large, that when the Bank of North America was 
 chartered in 1781, he was chosen its first Presi- 
 dent.^^ That office he continued to hold until he 
 was taken from it in 1791 to be appointed Presi- 
 dent of the First Bank of the United States. 
 And when, in spite of the strong advocacy by the 
 Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, 
 Albert Gallatin, of the renewal of the charter of 
 the bank, as a result of political opposition 
 "its charter ceased and its affairs were wound 
 up, it paid," in the words of H. W. Smith, "in 
 gold, during the prevalence of a paper currency 
 which placed gold at a high premium, $116 for 
 each $100 of its capital. "^^ 
 
 Willing's financial services to America, first as 
 President of the Bank of North America (1781- 
 
 ^^ Lawrence Lewis, Jr.: A History of the Bank of North America, 
 the first Bank chartered in America: Philadelphia, 1882, page 34. 
 
 ^^ Horace Wemyss Smith: Life and Correspondence of The Rev. 
 William Smith, D.D., Philadelphia, 1880, Volume IL, page 513. 
 
L THOMAS WILLING 
 
 1 791) and afterwards as President of the First 
 Bank of the United States (1791-1811), are thus 
 summed up by Burton Alva Konkle^^ in a memo- 
 randum addressed to the present writer, the 
 1 6th December, 1920: 
 
 "In order to understand WilHng's career, one 
 
 must recall that the financial history of the 
 
 United States falls naturally into three periods: 
 
 The present one, characterized by the Federal 
 
 Reserve System, somewhat recently inaugurated; 
 
 the one before that, known as the National 
 
 Banks' system, extending back to Chase and the 
 
 Civil War; and the final one extending back to 
 
 the beginning of things financial during the 
 
 Revolution. This one has a name almost the 
 
 same as that of the second period — so nearly 
 
 indeed that only the last letter need be dropped, 
 
 leaving it to be called the National Bank system, 
 
 in which a single central dominating bank, like 
 
 those of European nations, controls national 
 
 financial affairs. It will readily be seen that the 
 
 head of such a bank would be the most powerful 
 
 guide and regulator of American financial matters. 
 
 ^^ Mr. Konkle is the author of The Life and Times of Thomas 
 Smith, i745-i8og; Philadelphia, 1904, and George Bryan, and the 
 Constitution of Pennsylvania, lysi-iygi; Philadelphia, 1922. 
 
 I 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LI 
 
 If any one man should hold that unique place 
 for the greater part of that period, he would 
 himself come near to representing the head of its 
 financial history for those years. That such a 
 man did so, seems to have been overlooked by 
 history. 
 
 "Let us see how it happened: The fall of 
 Charleston, in the spring of 1780, was due 
 chiefly to the weak finances of the new repubhc; 
 and it startled the capital and metropolis into a 
 realization of it; whereupon their ablest states- 
 man, James Wilson, together with the wealthy 
 firm of Willing and Morris and others, created a 
 private purchasing agency, into which patriots 
 put their money, and it was given the title of 
 the Bank of Pennsylvania. This institution 
 purchased supplies for Washington's army and so 
 turned the tide of battle that it revived con- 
 fidence in the cause. James Wilson was probably 
 the most learned economist in America, a student 
 at Glasgow in the days of Adam Smith's rector- 
 ship, and was familiar with the financial writings 
 of such men as Sir James Steuart, and with the 
 functions of the various national banks of Europe. 
 About December i, of that year, when the 
 Pennsylvania Assembly seemed bent on issuing 
 
LII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 more paper money in face of an already fearfully 
 depreciated State and Congressional paper, James 
 Wilson wrote to his friends in that body, offering 
 a much better plan, namely, to transform the 
 Bank of Pennsylvania, which was a mere pur- 
 chasing agency, into a national institution like the 
 Bank of England, which could borrow and also 
 provide an organ of regulation of finances. This 
 plan was not accepted by the Pennsylvania 
 Assembly, but was adopted by Congress in the 
 early part of 1781, and Wilson, Willing and 
 others persuaded Mr. Morris to accept the newly 
 created office of Financier-General, or, as we now 
 say. Secretary of the Treasury, and adopt this 
 new plan as the financial system of the young 
 republic. Mr. Morris agreed and, after the new 
 institution was incorporated, with the title. The 
 Bank of North America, many of the States 
 ratified it by also incorporating it, which latter 
 acts served to meet the questioning of some as to 
 whether the Congress had incorporating powers. 
 Thus the somewhat monarchical financial system of 
 Europe was introduced into the new republic and, 
 by the next autumn, the vigor which it injected 
 into every department of the American union re- 
 sulted in the surrender of the enemy at Yorktown. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LIII 
 
 "The man, whom Wilson, Morris and others 
 put at its head to build, control and regulate it 
 and so regulate the finances of America, was 
 Judge Thomas Willing of Philadelphia— the only 
 man I know who has ever been compared to 
 Washington, and that, too, by no less a man 
 than that other great Philadelphian and jurist, 
 Horace Binney. You will observe that Wilson 
 designed it. Willing created, constructed and 
 managed it, and Morris accepted and used it, as 
 Financier- General or Secretary of the Treasury. 
 Mr. Morris, however, was Financier-General but 
 a comparatively short time; but President Willing 
 of The Bank of North America or national bank, 
 was at the head of it for a whole decade 
 following, or until the establishment of the new 
 constitution of the United States, and its Gov- 
 ernment at the capital and metropolis, Phila- 
 delphia. Through it, he gave aid to Congress, 
 to States, to counties and cities, as well as 
 individuals, and contributed tremendously to 
 uphold the hands of the new Nation. It was 
 his wisdom, which was destined to give this 
 bank so solid a basis, that it has existed to this 
 day through all changes and is now the oldest 
 bank in the Nation. 
 
LIV THOMAS WILLING 
 
 "It weathered the period of reconstruction of 
 the fundamental structure of the United States 
 in the adoption of the constitution; and amidst 
 all the fierce clash of theories and interests in 
 that wonderful period, President Willing and 
 the Bank became famous throughout the financial 
 and political world. When there were attacks 
 upon its National charter from political sources, a 
 young lawyer in New York, who had been on 
 General Washington's staff, suggested, in his care 
 of a client stockholder, that a legal opinion be 
 secured from Mr. Wilson; and when this same 
 lawyer, Alexander Hamilton, was made Secretary 
 of the Treasury, in the new government under 
 President Washington, he took the bank system, 
 which Mr. Wilson had designed, and submitted 
 his plans to him, who had now come to the 
 bench of the Supreme Court, just created by the 
 new Constitution, as its most learned Justice; 
 and when Mr. Justice Wilson approved, secured 
 the system in the creation of the first Bank of 
 the United States on lines modelled on the Bank 
 of North America, which, for political reasons, it 
 was unwise to use, but selected its President, 
 Thomas Willing, to head and build the new 
 National institution. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LV 
 
 "It was then that President WilHng moved his 
 office to the new classical structure on Third 
 Street. Not long after Secretary Hamilton 
 resigned and returned to his private practice; 
 not so President Willing, for Financiers-General 
 and Secretaries of the Treasury might come and 
 they might go, but he seemed destined to go on 
 forever. For Hamilton died; Wilson died; 
 Morris died; Washington's term ended and he 
 died; indeed five administrations passed; and it 
 was thirty years after President Willing began 
 guiding national finances as head of the bank of 
 a national system, before he ceased; and then 
 only because the charter expired by limitation in 
 1811, and Jeffersonians refused to re-charter it. 
 The finances of the young republic were guided 
 for its first three decades by the leadership of 
 one man, and that man was Thomas Willing. 
 
 "But that is not all. The venerable President 
 of the Bank of the United States was eighty 
 years old and in health and faculties when the 
 charter expired in 181 1 and the War of 1812 was 
 on the horizon. The Jeffersonians were able to 
 create no better systems then, and, five years 
 later, were compelled to re-charter the Bank of 
 the United States, generally known as the 
 
LVI THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Second Bank of the United States; and Thomas 
 WilHng, then in retirement at the age of eighty- 
 five, saw his life work, his "glory," as he once 
 called his long service to his country, confirmed 
 even by its enemies who had destroyed it. That 
 long service in its excellence gave him the public 
 title of 'The Old Regulator' of American 
 finance. His system was still in vigorous 
 operation, nearly a decade later, in 1821, when 
 he died at the unusual age of eighty-nine years — 
 within a decade of a century. And it continued 
 on another decade and a half, when another 
 Jeffersonian out of the west, the father of all 
 Jacksonians, gave it its death blow, leaving no 
 system at all until the Civil War caused the 
 creation of a new order, that of the National 
 Banks System." 
 
 The Bank of the United States and the Willing 
 house were both on the west side of Third Street. 
 The Bank building stood then as it does to-day 
 (it is now occupied by the Girard National Bank ) 
 a little below Chestnut Street and opposite Dock 
 Street. The Willing house was only a block away 
 further south, at the southwest corner of Willing' s 
 Alley and South Third Street, a little below Walnut 
 Street. And in the years when Thomas Willing 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LVII 
 
 was President of the Bank of the United States, 
 many people knew when it was twelve o'clock, 
 owing to the regularity with which he returned 
 home for lunch. 
 
 On Saturday the 17th of April, 1790, the day 
 Franklin died, Thomas Willing was seated in the 
 evening with several other gentlemen at the 
 dinner table of Governor Mifflin at the Falls of the 
 Schuylkill. The others were the Rev. Dr. William 
 Smith, David Rittenhouse, Thomas McKean and 
 Henry Hill. During the dinner, while a thunder- 
 storm was in progress, one of Dr. Smith's negro 
 servants, Primus, brought from the city to Dr. 
 Smith at Governor Mifflin's house, the news of 
 the aged philosopher's death. With the inspi- 
 ration of the moment. Dr. Smith wrote out at 
 the dinner table these lines :^* 
 
 "Cease, cease, ye clouds, your elemental strife. 
 Why rage ye thus, as if to threaten Hfe? 
 Seek, seek no more to shake our souls with 
 
 dread. 
 What busy mortal told you 'FrankHn's dead?' 
 What though he yields by Jove's imperious nod. 
 With Rittenhouse he left his magic rod." 
 
 ^* Horace Wemyss Smith: Life and Correspondence of the Rev. 
 William Smith, D.D., Philadelphia, 1880, Volume II., page 324. 
 
LVIII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 Whereupon, Thomas WilHng at once wrote the 
 following lines: 
 
 "What means that flash, the thunder's awful 
 
 roar 
 
 The blazing sky — unseen, unheard before? 
 Sage Smith repHes, 'Our Franklin is no more.' 
 The clouds, long subject to his magic chain, 
 Exulting now their liberty regain." 
 
 Thomas Willing was in the habit of wearing 
 shoes with broad toes, with the result that 
 among his relatives and intimate friends, he was 
 often referred to affectionately as "square toes." 
 In his later years, too, he had served in the 
 parlor every evening for those that were there at 
 nine o'clock, cup custard and Madeira wine; and 
 if his children stayed beyond ten o'clock, he would 
 wind up the evening by saying to them there was 
 "a welcome to come and a welcome to go." 
 
 The following anecdote showed his every day 
 good sense. When Louis Philippe, afterwards King 
 of the French, was in this country an exile and 
 earning his living by teaching, he met among 
 others the daughters of Thomas Willing and fell 
 in love with and wished to marry Abigail Willing, 
 who subsequently became Mrs. Richard Peters. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LIX 
 
 When he spoke of the matter to her father, the 
 latter according to family traditions replied to the 
 son of Philip Egalite: "If you have no claim to 
 the throne of France, you are no match for my 
 daughter, and if you ever become King, she will 
 be no match for you." The portrait of Mrs. Peters 
 by Stuart and some of the pictures of the Princess 
 Marie Amalie, whom Louis Philippe subsequently 
 married, show that they were of the same general 
 type of countenance. 
 
 Thomas Willing married on the 9*^ of June, 
 1763, Ann McCall, daughter of Samuel McCall 
 and his wife, Ann Searle. She was born the 30*^ 
 of March, 1745, and died the 5*^ Febry, 1781. 
 They had thirteen children, as follows :^^ 
 
 1. Anne, b. i'* Aug., 1764, m. 26*'', Oct. 
 
 1780, William Bingham, Senator of 
 the United States. 
 
 2. Charles, b. the 5^^ May, 1765, d. the 
 
 12 July, 1765. 
 
 3. Charles, b. the 7*^ April 1766, m. i'* 
 
 Rosalind Evans, and 2"^^, Ann Hemp- 
 hill. 
 
 ^^ Thomas Balch: Letters and Papers relating chiefly to the Pro- 
 vincial History of Pennsylvania (The Ship pen Papers); Philadel- 
 phia, 1855, pages cv-cxix. 
 
LX THOMAS WILLING 
 
 4. Thomas Mayne, b. the 15'^ April, 
 
 1767, m. Jane Nixon. 
 
 5. EHzabeth, b. the 27'^ March, 1768, 
 
 m. Major WiUiam Jackson. 
 
 6. George, b. the 4*^ April, 1769, d. the 
 
 10*'' Aug. 1769. 
 
 7. Mary, b. the 15*^ Sept. 1770, m. Henry 
 
 Clymer. 
 
 8. Dorothy, b. the 16*^ July, 1772, m. 
 
 her cousin Thomas Willing Francis. 
 
 9. George, b. the 14**" April, 1774, m. 
 
 i^* Maria Benezet, and 2"*^, Rebecca 
 Harrison Blackwell. 
 
 10. Richard, b. the 25*^ Dec. 1775, m. 
 
 Eliza Moore. 
 
 11. Abigail, b. the 16* May, 1777, m. 
 
 Richard Peters. 
 
 12. WilHam Shippen, b. the 6^^ Feby, 
 
 1779, m. Maria Wilhelmina Peters. 
 
 13. Henry, b. the 15^^ Dec, 1780, d. the 
 
 20*'' June, 1 78 1. 
 
 Of the descendants of Thomas Willing, some 
 have played conspicuous roles in the world. His 
 eldest daughter, Mrs. Bingham, was the social 
 leader of Philadelphia for many years, and in 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LXI 
 
 England with her husband she gained immediate 
 
 recognition from EngUsh society. In 1784 Mr. and 
 
 Mrs. Bingham went to Europe. They spent some 
 
 time in France and were presented at the Court 
 
 of Louis the Sixteenth. Mrs. Bingham's beauty 
 
 and gracious manners attracted much attention 
 
 there. John Adams and his family were at the 
 
 time residing in Paris; and Miss Adams writes on 
 
 the 26th of October, 1784, that the Adamses dined 
 
 that day with the Binghams at the Hotel Moscovy. 
 
 "Mrs. Bingham," Miss Adams says, "gams my 
 
 love and admiration more and more every time I 
 
 see her; she is possessed of greater ease and 
 
 politeness in her behavior than in any person I 
 
 have met." And some years later, writing of a 
 
 levee held by President and Mrs. Washington in 
 
 Philadelphia the 25th of December, 1791, Mrs. 
 
 Adams mentions "the dazzling Mrs. Bingham and 
 
 her beautiful sisters, the Misses Allen, the Misses 
 
 Chew, and in short, a constellation of beauties. "^^ 
 
 As the two daughters of Mrs. Bingham, Anne 
 
 Louisa and Maria Matilda, married two of the 
 
 three sons of Sir Francis Baring, the blood of 
 
 Thomas Willing has flown and flows in the veins 
 
 ^^Rufus Wilmot Griswold: The Republican Court, New York, 
 185s, pages 256 and 270. 
 
LXII THOMAS WILLING 
 
 of many members of the well known banking 
 house of Baring.^^ 
 
 The most notable of Thomas Willing' s descend- 
 ants was the late Thomas Francis Bayard, three 
 times elected Senator from the State of Dela- 
 ware, Secretary of State in the first Cleveland 
 administration (1885-1889), and the first Ameri- 
 can Ambassador accredited to a foreign govern- 
 ment (1893), whose splendid career was summed 
 up in a few words by Grover Cleveland: "Bayard 
 is the purest and most patriotic man I know." 
 
 This biographical essay of Thomas Willing can 
 fittingly close with the epitaph on his tombstone 
 in Christ Churchyard, written by Horace Binney, 
 in his day the leader of the American bar:^^ 
 
 "In memory of Thomas Willing, Esquire, born 
 nineteenth of December, 1731, O. S.; died nine- 
 teenth of January, 1821, aged eighty-nine years 
 and thirty days. This excellent man, in all the 
 relations of private life, and in various stations of 
 high public trust, deserved and acquired the de- 
 voted affection of his family and friends, and the 
 
 ^ Thomas Balch : Letters and Papers relating chiefly to the Provincial 
 History of Pennsylvania {The Ship pen Papers); Philadelphia, 1855, 
 page cv., et seq. 
 
 ^^ David Paul Brown: The Forum, Philadelphia, 1856, Volume i., 
 page 254. 
 
OF PHILADELPHIA. LXIII 
 
 universal respect of his fellow citizens. From 1754 
 to 1807 (sic), he successively held the offices of Sec- 
 retary to the Congress of Delegates at Albany, Mayor 
 of the City of Philadelphia, her representative in 
 the General Assembly, President of the Provincial 
 Congress, Delegate to the Congress of the Con- 
 federation, President of the first chartered Bank 
 in America, and President of the first Bank of the 
 United States. With these public duties, he united 
 the business of an active, enterprising and success- 
 ful merchant, in which pursuit, for sixty years, 
 his life was rich in examples of the influences of 
 probity, fidelity, and perseverance upon the stability 
 of commercial establishments, and upon that which 
 was his distinguished reward upon earth, public 
 consideration and esteem. His profound adoration 
 of the Great Supreme, and his deep sense of de- 
 pendence on His mercy, in life and in death, gave 
 him, at the close of his protracted years, the humble 
 hope of a superior one in Heaven." 
 
LETTERS AND PAPERS RELATING TO THE 
 WILLING FAMILY. 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to his 
 Son, Charles Willing in Philadelphia.^ 
 
 "Bristol 7 June 1743. 
 
 "Son Charles: — I have before wrote p this 
 convey^, and Sent you Some Newspapers the 
 Ship being yet there gives me the oppertunity of 
 Sending Some more newspapers which are full of 
 news from Bavaria where the French are Hunted 
 from place to place and retreating being under 
 Terible aprehension of being cut to peices. 
 
 "The Goods from Mr. Tho Stirtles are not yet 
 come to hand but I have paid one of his Bills 
 for 25* he advised that he had drawn for 50^ the 
 the other 25^ not yet come to hand. I wish the 
 Goods may come in time to Send p this con- 
 veyance. 
 
 "herewith I send you Invo &c, for Sundry s 
 shipd for Mr. Jos. Mather also Ace* Currant 
 BalP in my favour 2" 13" 3" 
 
 "I am Sorry that I had not an oppertunity of 
 
 ^ Volume of Swijt and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
2 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 sending the Goods sooner to Mr. J. E. Bingham 
 and Mes'' Hamilton & Coleman, Mr. Allen, 
 Mr. Tench Francis, Mr. Hasell & Mr. Mather. 
 No ship has been put up since the Seneca went 
 only the Cape Fair. I could have got some of 
 the goods ready by the time that the Seneca 
 Sailed but he Cleared out at Cust — house for 
 fear of an Embargo & hurried the Ship down 
 into Vine road the wind being then Fair but 
 before they could get ready to Sail I think in a 
 day or two after the wind came about to the 
 west and kept them there for about Six weeks. 
 I cannot Say that I was very Sorry for his dis- 
 apointment because he had put it out of my 
 power to ship the Goods by sending the Ship to 
 portshet Hole. I advised him to let the Ship 
 lye at the Key till after the Fair and then I 
 could get the Goods ready to put a Board but 
 he would not take my advice but I believe he 
 after wished that he had done so but then it was 
 to late. 
 
 "Your Sister D. Hand came home the i'* Insta 
 & Broug* her Son with her. She designed to 
 write to you p this Conveyance. Your Son 
 Francis is very well. I tell him to get his 
 Letters ready to Send with mine. Your brother 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 3 
 
 and Sister Nancy designe to write to you at 
 present. I shall conclude with Blessing to you &c. 
 "Yo'' most afect Father, 
 
 'THO^ Willing." 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to 
 Charles Willing in Philadelphia.^ 
 
 "Bristol 25° Aug"' i743- 
 "Son Charles: 
 
 "The 22^ June I advised you p the Cape Fair 
 
 that p the Post that Day I reced yours of 5° 
 
 April via Boston & London. The 7° July I 
 
 reced yours of 20 April via Lisbon. The 28° 
 
 July I reced yours of Sundry dates p the 
 
 Seneca, and the V^^ Aug^* I reced yours of 
 
 11° & 22° June p Cap*' Reeve I send this p 
 
 the to N York to let you know that 
 
 the Seneca is going back to Philad^ p whom 
 
 I shall send you the Cordage, Sail Cloth, 
 
 Anchors, 4 Small Guns about 2^ Each & Ship 
 
 Stores &c which I hope will get Safe to you 
 
 Soon after if not before this and please you. 
 
 I do not expect to have the guns of 8^ W^ 
 
 in time to Send p the Seneca. Yesterday your 
 
 ^ Voliime of Swijt and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
4 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Son Tommy went to Wells to M'. Wheeler I 
 hope he will be improved by it so that you 
 will not think the extraordinary expense lost 
 upon him. My wife went with him (for I 
 could not goe my Selfe) She is come back and 
 gives me a very pleasing acco* of the School 
 &c. Tom was very well pleased with his little 
 Horse. I Shall Send you some news papers p 
 the Seneca I thank God we are all pretty well 
 I hope this will find you all well I have not time 
 to say more but that I am Yo"" most afec* Father 
 
 Tho. Willing 
 
 Superscription 
 
 N Y Agt. 3 - 
 "To 
 
 M\ Cha\ Willing 
 
 Merch* 
 
 In Philadelphia 
 "Via N York 
 
 Rec*^ & forwarded 
 By S-" Y^ humble Ser'^ 
 
 Lubbouck & Haynes 
 
 "Memo. ( ^""'^^^^ ^^S'' ^5 i743- Tho^ Willings— 
 
 ) Adv. G. rect mine of June ii**" & 
 on / ** 
 
 letter ) ^^^ ^''43 & that my Cordage &c shou'd 
 ' be shipt on the Seneca." 
 
willing letters and papers. 5 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to his 
 Son, Charles Willing in Philadelphia.^ 
 
 "Bristol 5 Sept. 1743. 
 
 "Son Charles: — The foregoing is Copy of what 
 I wrote to you 25 Augs* the Tyger to N. York 
 last Saturday 3*^ Inst^ I reced yours of 29th 
 June via N York Your 1000^ is on an Estate of 
 S' George Howell it will not be difficult to have 
 the Money at a Short warning it being at 4^ 
 p Ct & the Interest duely paid I gave you an 
 ace* p the Cape Fair where the Estate lyes, I 
 could not get the Insura don on the Bankers to 
 Jam^. If I would have given twice 12^ p. Ct 
 the prem you proposed I observe you Say that 
 you have great many Shalloons & other woollen 
 Goods by you worsted is advanced from 13^ to 
 19^ ye Pack of Course all Sorts of Goods made 
 therewith are greatly advanced the Makers have 
 raised the Nar Shalloons to 22/ and they talk of 
 putting them up to 24 p ps and Brod Shalloons 
 will be raised in propor" Duroyes Kerseys Brod 
 Cloth, Rugs & Blankets and all Sorts of woollen 
 goods are advanced near 25 pet. and dearer they 
 will be. 
 
 ^ Volume of Swijl and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
6 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "8 Sepr yesterday I reced yours of 23^^ June 
 and will observe your directions and get the 
 Insura done according to your order. 
 
 "8 Sept', herewith I send you Invo & Bill of 
 Lading for Sundrys Shiped on the Seneca Math 
 Wasbrough Mast' for Philad^ Amount as p 
 Invo to 265" 3" 2" on your ace* exclusive of 
 Insura; which I hope will get safe to hand and 
 please you I had the Anchors of Ste: Perry I 
 hope they will prove good I think the Guns are 
 very neat work. I do not expect to have the 2 
 Large Guns to send by this conveyance. I could 
 not get a Garden Roler larger than 2^ long & 
 15 Inches Diam; the Size Sent, the Stores are 
 agreeable to your order only I have made some 
 alteration in Som of the Small Cordage by the 
 advice of Mr. Hobhouse's Man. I saw a Cable 
 put a Board for W". Doune made by R. Farr 
 which he took in pay for Tar. You must take 
 care that they do not change it for one of yours 
 the weight will Show the differance, I got the 16 
 p^ Sail Cloth in No. i, 2 & 3 myself but I was 
 obliged to Mr. Will Clymer for getting the 12 p^ 
 of Light Canvas in No. 4 & 5 ea. for it being 
 harvest time the Makers had but very few by 
 them so that I could hardly get them for money 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 7 
 
 which I paid down, for every piece of them and 
 glad that I could get them Jo" Taylor Sells his 
 at 14*^ only abates }4^ py*^ for ready money. 
 The Cask of Beer I had of Mr. WilHs I hope it 
 will prove good I had none by me fit to Send at 
 this time but propose to Send you Som by next 
 oppertunity. I could not get any good Chesshire 
 Cheese such as they had would not Sell under 24/ 
 p c^ for which reason I have Sent you i c^ 
 of good Glostershire cheese which I hope will 
 please you, the Speaking Trumpet & Lanthorne 
 are put a Board loose and the 3 Long Brushes 
 Mr. Wheeler sent 3 Dos. Beer to be forwarded to 
 you, but it was not fine & I suppose it was put 
 up in old Bottles not well cleaned & old Corks 
 So that I knew it was not worth paying Freight 
 for it for which reason I did not send it. I paid 
 3/ for the Carriage of it from Wells. I wish he 
 had not sent it for I think it has not age fit to 
 send to Philad^. I am sorry that I had not an 
 opportunity of Sending these Goods to you 
 Sooner and that the Ship is yet here winter 
 drawing on and fearing it will be a loss & dis- 
 apointment to you if the Ship meets with a long 
 passage it may be to late for you to get out 
 your new Ship before the winter sets in, but I 
 
8 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 hope it will Som way or other turn out to your 
 satisfaction. j ^^^ ^^ 
 
 "The foregoing is Copy of what I wrote to 
 you p the Seneca. I have got the Insura don 
 on the Debby to Jam\ according to your order 
 105 at 3' 10/ p Ct Poll 4/6 & Comm^ 15/6 
 abt 4" 8/6 I could not get the Insura don on the 
 Vernon at 5 gs. you ought to have Sent your order 
 sooner. If you expect to have any Insura don 
 here. Yesterday I reced yours of 22^ July Via. 
 Lisbon with W. Aliens Bill on Jo' & T. Simp- 
 son & C°. for 233' for acco* of your sister 
 Nancy. I am glad to hear the Vernon arrived 
 I forgot to advise you p the Seneca that R. 
 Sanders the shoemaker has been Dead some 
 time so that I could not send the Shoes you 
 wrote for Your Mother wrote by the Seneca 
 that she had sent the Shoes &c., p the said 
 Ship but did not for Cap*. Wasbrough told 
 me at the Cust° house the Morning that he 
 Cleared out his Ship that he would be at 
 Tolzey and pay me the 10" 10/ I did not see 
 him after that But he weny away and left 
 the Box behind but in a few days after he 
 was gon his Brother paid me the Money. 
 
 I 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 9 
 
 "P this conveyance I have sent you Some 
 News papers under Cover to Finney & Lewis 
 & desired them to forward the Same to you 
 p the first oppertunity by which you will find 
 that Don Phillip have been defeated in attempting 
 to Enter Italy and that the Confederate Army 
 on the Rhyne is gon into winter quarters and 
 the French Army is also going into winter 
 quarters. The K. of Denmark has accepted 
 of the mediation of the Maritim Powers so 
 that the preparations for war with Sweden are 
 layd a Side. We have War & Rumor of War 
 and yet no War declared against France nor 
 France against us. I have had a pain in my 
 right Shoulder ever since Nov"" last its so bad 
 that I cannot pull my Coat of or put it on 
 with out help and affects my arm and hand 
 so much that I can Scarce write. I believe I 
 got it by a Strain and by often renewing it 
 and the Cold weather about that time fix* it 
 so that I cannot yet get rid of it, I cannot 
 think it to be anything of a Rheumatick pain. 
 I am with Blessing to you all 
 
 "Y'most afec* Father 
 
 "Thos Willing." 
 
10 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to 
 Charles Willing in Philadelphia.* 
 
 "Bristol May 26^^ 1744. 
 
 "Son Charles: — My last to you was of 20 
 April p the New Susannah, since that I reed 
 Letters from Cap* Nichols & Thos. Edwards 
 with news of the Dorothy's safe arrival at 
 Jamaica. The 2V\ Inst I reed letters from 
 Cap' Nicholls & Mess" Hill & Guerard advising 
 of the Dorothy's being arrived at S° Carolina, 
 that they had taken a freight for Bristol at £ 
 3.10/ p Ton & hoped to be here in three months. 
 Since your last Letter I have reed Letters from 
 Jo Shippen of 6 Jan^ mentioning the most of the 
 Goods in the Seneca were saved but the Ship 
 lost. I suppose you sent p the Ranger Cap* 
 Reeve a more particular account, but it's not 
 come to hand he being taken and carried into 
 France, & it may be some time before we have 
 account thereof, if you omit send-ng a Copy by 
 the next oppertunity. 31st May 1744. 
 
 "The 27th. Inst. I reed a Letter from Cap* 
 Nicholls dated S° Carolina 11 April with direc- 
 
 * Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. II 
 
 tions to make £800 Insurance on the Dorothy to 
 Bristol, the Prem will be 16 g^ p ct to pay 85. 
 I have sent to London to know how it can be 
 done there, & shall do the best for your interest. 
 Premiums are so high no trade will bear it. at 
 present I have not more to say but that I am 
 "Your affect" Father 
 
 "Tho. Willing." 
 
 Advertisement of Charles Willing.^ 
 
 "Just imported and to be sold by Charles 
 Willing at his House in Third Street, a large 
 Assortment of Woolen and other Goods suitable 
 for the Season; consising of 
 
 "Superfine and coarse broad-cloths in pieces and 
 suits, druggets fine and coarse, plains fine and 
 coarse, superfine Devonshire kerseys, scarlet rateens 
 light and cloth colour' d ditto, naps, striped dussil 
 and couloured ditto, strouds, half -thicks, broad 
 and narrow shalloons, waddings, rose and coloured 
 rugs, blankets, buntings for colours, fiannels 
 striped, white, red and scarlet, duroys plain and 
 mixed, Coventry Tammies, floretta's bed-ticken, 
 
 ^ Penna. Journal or Weekly Advertiser. January 5, 1747-8, No. 268, 
 page 3. 
 
12 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Flanders ditto, cotton counterpans, caddis, quality 
 binding, gartering, pins, buckram, striped Hollands, 
 gilt buttons, womens shoes, men's, women's, 
 boy's and girl's worsted hose, worsted caps, 
 callimanicoes, camblets, silk and romal handker- 
 chiefs, callicoes, red chints, printed linen 3-4ths, 
 7-8 ths, and yard wide garlix's, linen and 
 cotton checks, yellow canvas, Irish hollands and 
 linens, clouting and napkining diaper, tabling and 
 napkin damask, Russia linen, nuns and gulix 
 hollands, cambricks, lawns, muslins, China and 
 Persian taffeties, alamodes, padusoys, blush col- 
 oured Persian, men, women and children's gloves 
 and mittens, buttons and twist of all sorts, 
 mohair, cord, silver and gold wire buttons, plain 
 figured white and striped fustians, cannon and 
 pistol powder, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12 and 20 d Nails, 
 clasp hobs, horse traces, frying pans, cross cut 
 and pit saws, with other ironmongery ware; All 
 sorts of canvas, London cables, and cordage, 
 pipes and choice muscovado sugar." 
 
willing letters and papers. i3 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to 
 Charles Willing in Philadelphia.^ 
 
 "Bristol 27° Nov*'" 1744 
 "Son Charles: 
 
 "I have before advised you that on Saterday 
 10° I was in hopes the Wind would have Served 
 for the Doro to have Sailed the next day but 
 Sunday the 17° the wind came about to the 
 westward on Saterday the 17° the Wind came 
 up to N. N. W. & N. & expected that the 
 Ships to have Sailed on Sunday the 18° but 
 the Wind blew so hard that the Ships could 
 not get under Sail the Doro unmored & was 
 drove on the Swatch but of againe next day 
 without any Damages. 
 
 "The Wind is just now come up to N. E. 
 and I hope will hold so as to carry them of 
 the Cap* is up in Town to get another mate 
 it has given me a great deal of trouble and 
 Vexation to have the Ship lay down in this 
 Road above 5 weeks but the Neptune Capt 
 Laws for Boston has been down in Kingroad 
 above 10 weeks and not yet gon. Your Mother 
 
 ® Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Batch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
14 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 and Broth' came home last Night in a dusty 
 Pickle the Roads being very bad. 
 
 I am yo"" most 
 afec* Father 
 
 Tho Willing 
 
 "Since I wrote the forgoing I reced yours of 
 31 July and 29 Aug^* via N York by a Snow 
 Bound from N York to London but drove 
 up into our Channel to which I have not time 
 to give you any answer Sam Allen the Boat- 
 swaine has had two Shillings and John Smith 
 five Shillings which you must Stop out of their 
 wages." 
 
 Superscription 
 "To 
 
 M\ Cha\ Willing 
 
 merch*^ 
 In Philadelph^" 
 
willing letters and papers. 1 5 
 
 Thomas Willing of Bristol, England, to 
 Charles Willing in Philadelphia/ 
 
 "Bristol 2^ Sep^' 1746 
 "Son Charles: 
 
 "My last to you was 31 Dece'''" I then advised 
 that the 4 Bills w*"^ you Sent me for 492" 18 "2 
 were all protested. 
 
 "I also advised you that on Sunday 27 octo^*" 
 I reed yours of the 10° Aug''' with orders to 
 make 400* Insura: on the Lucca but the next 
 morning a Ship arrived here from Barbados by 
 whom I had letter from Cap*. Loyd advising of 
 his being arrived there So that you have Saved 
 the Charge of that Insura. I also advised of 
 Wilcockes Bill on Truman and Duglas for 300* 
 being com to hand but not accepted, but I can 
 now tell you that it was Som time after accepted 
 and Since paid but neither of the 4 Bills for 
 492"i8"2 are yet paid but M^ Sprigg says he 
 will pay them. 
 
 "I reced your order to make Insura: on the 
 Dorothy from Philad^. which I did accordingly 
 charge as under but have not yet any account 
 
 ^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Batch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
1 6 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 of her being arrived or Taken. I fear she is 
 lost. At present I have not time but to ad but 
 that I am 
 
 Your most afect. 
 Father 
 Tho! Willing 
 
 "To Insura on the Dorothy 
 Philad*. to Lisbon 
 
 650*' on Ship at 14 G^ p O 95" 1 1" o 
 
 PolHcy 4/6^ o" 4" 6 
 
 To my Comm^ /^ P C* 3" 5" o 
 
 99" o" 6 
 
 600' on Goods at 14 G' p C 88" 4" o 
 
 PolHcy 4/6^ o" 4" 6 
 
 Comm^ K P C* 3" o" o 
 
 91" 8" 6 
 
 Superscription 
 "To 
 M*. Charles Willing 
 Merch' 
 In 
 
 Philadelphia 
 P the John Gatty" 
 
 190" 9" o" 
 
willing letters and papers. 1 7 
 
 John Penn to Thomas Willing.^ 
 "Dear Sir: — My time was so very much taken 
 up in the disagreeable Ceremony of Visiting & 
 in preparing for our Httle Voyage to Rhode 
 Island, that I could only find time while I 
 was at N. York to write to my dear friend the 
 Governor — Our passage from N. York was 
 dangerous & very unpleasant, especially to me 
 as I have ever since been disabled from writing 
 till this morning, have kept my room several 
 days & for the first time since I have been in 
 America ask'd the Advice of a D"" & been 
 oblig'd to follow it. We met with very blowing, 
 raw weather in the Sound & by being too 
 frequently upon Deck in the night without my 
 Cloaths, I caught a violent cold, which feel 
 upon my bowells. I think I have suffered 
 more these four days past than I ever did in 
 my life & nothing but my being quite disabled 
 could have been a sufficient excuse (even to 
 my self) for neglecting to write to you before — 
 I have promis'd to drink tea with your old 
 flame this afternoon (that is if I find I can behave 
 decently without making wry faces). You may 
 guess who I mean— Mrs. Ap thorp — I wish I could 
 
 * Pennsylvania Magazine, Philadelphia, 1881, Volume V., page 352. 
 
1 8 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 call her Polly M'Evers for your sake, that is, 
 if you do yourself, but perhaps matters are as 
 well as they are, you might have alter'd your 
 mind by this time. As you are the man in 
 the world who seem to want a Portmanteau 
 the most, one word of advice from an old 
 friend before you tye it up behind you may not 
 come mal a propos; this is supposing you 
 can't live without baggage, & your great vartue 
 won't suffer you to unburden your Conscience 
 with the wicked ones of the world, well you 
 are right there's nothing like a virtuous way of 
 thinking in a young man never swallow the 
 hook till you are convinc'd It's not poisoned, 
 this requires some time, should you find any 
 defect, you are just where you were before, & 
 ready to try a fresh one, You'll think presently 
 I grow grave & say I am a fool, but upon 
 my honour, Tom, you have such a living 
 Example eternally before you, that it would be 
 impertinent in me to pretend to say anything 
 more, if you do but keep that in your mind, 
 & weigh your Polly's Betsy's &c against it, 
 you won't be deceived, but then I believe it 
 will be a long time before you are satisfy'd, 
 & you will perhaps grow tyr'd of the tryal 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 9 
 
 I need not tell you where to find this example, 
 tho' I must own I have known some brothers 
 very blind to anything that was in favour of 
 a Sister, but that I have too good an opinion 
 of you to think you are. We are not likely to 
 get an agreable passage from hence, so have 
 determin'd to proceed immediately to Halifax 
 where we are sure of going in a man of war, 
 'tis said here the french fleet had got out of 
 Louisbourg. We are to be entertain'd to morrow 
 night with a Concert & a ball, the next night 
 we shall be at sea. I beg you'll all sit cross 
 leg'd for our good voyage. Pray make my 
 Comp' to Mrs. Willing Nancy & Dolly not 
 forgetting the Young Ones. You may drink my 
 good voyage the first of November, which is 
 the time the men of war sail from Halifax. 
 tell Nancy if she does not eat & drink more 
 that day than she has done these three years 
 past I'll never forgive her. I wont put up with 
 a Acorn full for a Bumper. As I cannot have 
 the pleasure of hearing from you while I am 
 in America I shall expect it in England the 
 Gov"" will let you know my direction tho' 
 perhaps we may never meet again yet there 
 is some small satisfaction in writing; the 
 
20 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Anecdotes of Phil will not be disagreable 
 especially as I know the principal actors in 
 anything that can happen, I suppose you'l 
 laugh when I tell you, I could not leave Phil 
 with dry Eyes, I don't remember I ever was 
 so Childish in my life before. Adiew, if there 
 is anybody, who thinks it worth while asking 
 after me pray make my Comp' to them, & 
 believe me 
 
 "Dear Sir 
 
 Your very Hum: Ser* 
 & Affect^ Friend 
 
 John Penn. 
 "Boston Oct: loth 1755. 
 
 "Cap* Suckling who was at Phil a year ago, has 
 got the Lys a 74 gun ship." 
 
 Advertisement of Willing, Morris and 
 Company.^ 
 
 "May 6th. 
 
 "Just imported from the Coast of Africa in the 
 Brigantine Nancy, William Clarke, Master; and 
 to be sold at Wilmington, in New Castle County, 
 
 * Penna. Journal and Weekly Advertiser, May 6, 1762, No. 1013. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 21 
 
 where attendance is given by Willing, Morris, 
 and Comp. of Philadelphia.. 
 
 "One Hundred and Seventy five Gold Coast 
 Negroes. N. B. In the West India Islands, 
 where Slaves are best known, those of the Gold 
 Coast are in much greater Esteem and higher 
 valued than any others on Account of their 
 natural good Dispositions, and being better 
 capable of hard Labour." 
 
 Advertisement of Willing and Morris. ^° 
 
 "September i. 
 
 "The copartnership of Willing Morris and Com- 
 pany being now dissolved, all persons indebted 
 to the said Company, are desired to make 
 immediate payment and more particularly those 
 who are indebted on bond for Negroes sold in 
 the Lower Counties. The goods remaining on 
 hand are as follows and will be sold very cheap 
 for ready money or short credit, by Willing and 
 Morris, at their Wharfe and Store below the 
 Draw Bridge. 
 
 Penna. Journal, September 29, 1763, No. 1086, page 5. 
 
22 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Jamaica spirit; a large quantity and good 
 assortment of Madeira wines from £30 to £60 
 per pipe some of the latter price near three years 
 old, Fyal and Teneriffe wines, Rhinish wine in 
 casks, Bristol beer, very good bohea tea in whole 
 and half chests, pruens in hogheads, boxes of 
 brimstone, boxes of painted and plain glass ware, 
 cases of toys, violins, spinning wheels, cordage, 
 two anchors of 12 ct. and 15 ct. wt. Spanish 
 musquets, English ditto tower powder, an invoice 
 of castor and felt hatts; a large quantity of 
 spermaceta candles, best Havannah white sugars; 
 a quantity of junipper berry's and anniseeds, 
 with sundry other goods." 
 
 The address of the Merchants and Traders 
 of Philadelphia to Governor John Penn, No- 
 vember 2 1st, 1763." 
 
 " From Penn Manuscripts, Additional Miscellaneous Letters, Volume 
 page 115. This manuscript was donated July loth 1846 to The 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania by Mr. Philip S. Justice of Phil- 
 adelphia and London. He inherited it from his father, Mr. George 
 M. Justice. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 23 
 
 "to THE HONORABLE JOHN PENN, ESQUIRE 
 
 ''Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of 
 the Province of Pennsylvania; and the Counties of 
 New Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware. 
 
 "THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE MER- 
 CHANTS AND TRADERS OF THE 
 CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 "may it please your HONOR, 
 
 "The Merchants and Traders of the City of 
 Philadelphia beg leave to express their Joy, 
 upon your Appointment, and safe arrival to 
 this Government. 
 
 "It is, we assure you. Sir, with Pleasure, we 
 see the Reins of Government Committed to 
 One, descended from that great Legislator, the 
 Founder of this Province; a Founder, under 
 whose wise and free System of Policy, the 
 Colony has so remarkably fioiuished, and her 
 Trade become so extensively useful to herself, 
 and her Mother Country. We therefore have 
 great Reason to indulge ourselves, in the pleasing 
 Expectation, that you will zealously pursue the 
 excellent Plan of your illustrious Ancestor, and 
 most cheerfully, upon every Occasion, promote 
 and encourage the commercial Interest of this 
 
24 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 City, upon which so essentially depends, the 
 Welfare of the Province. 
 
 "We ardently hope, that your Administration 
 will be as agreeable to yourself, as we trust, it 
 will be happy to the People, whose real and 
 permanent Interest, we humbly conceive, is in- 
 separably connected with that, of your Honorable 
 
 Family. 
 
 Thos. Willing. 
 
 "Philadelphia, November 21st, 1763. 
 
 "Several of the Subscribers, being of the 
 
 People called Quakers, except as usual, to 
 
 the Stile — 
 
 Wm. Plumsted Judah Foulke 
 
 Tho. Lawrence Dan'l Rundle 
 
 Jos. Fox William Do well 
 
 John Mease John Baynton 
 
 Chas. Stedman Saml. Wharton 
 
 Saml. Mifflin John Kidd 
 
 Heny. Harrison J as. Wharton 
 
 Redmd. Conyngham Chas. Willing 
 
 Is. Jones Joseph Wood 
 
 Jere'ah Warder Wm. Lloyd 
 
 Joshua Fisher Jno. Shee 
 
 James Benezet Robt. Lewis 
 
 Sam. Smith Wm. Richards 
 
 Jos. Richardson Benj. Mifflin 
 
 William Fisher Stephen Shewell 
 
 Abel James Philip Benezet 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 25 
 
 Amos Strettell 
 Wm. Ritchie 
 P. Turner, Junr. 
 Charles Woodham 
 Daniel Clark 
 Peter Wikoff 
 Archd. McCall 
 Saml. Meredith 
 James Chalmers 
 James Wallace 
 JoNA. Evans 
 Jos. Saunders 
 Saml. Corry 
 John Wikoff 
 Joshua Howell 
 Geo. Morgan 
 Geo. Roberts 
 Robert Ritchie 
 Alexr. Lunan 
 Willm. Ibison 
 Chas. Thomson 
 Jon. Hughes 
 Jno. Ross 
 Miles Hillborn 
 Tench Francis 
 Saml. Massey 
 M. L. Hillegas 
 John Chew 
 Thos. Smith 
 Philip Kinsey 
 Peter Reeve 
 Thomas Brown 
 Rob't. Morris 
 Charles Bathe 
 
 Stepn. Carmick 
 
 Jno. Wilcocks 
 
 Garrett Meade 
 
 Jno. Rolfe 
 
 N. Evans 
 
 John Flanagan 
 
 James Eddy 
 
 Jos. Wharton, Junr. 
 
 Richd. Footman 
 
 John Nelson 
 
 Jno. White 
 
 Saml. Purviance, Junr. 
 
 Anthony Stocker 
 
 Richd. Bache 
 
 Reynold Keene 
 
 Peter Knight 
 
 Geo. Bryan 
 
 B. Fuller 
 
 J as. Young 
 
 Hu. Donaldson 
 
 W. Morris, Jun. 
 
 Clement Biddle 
 
 Tho. Wharton 
 
 John McMichael 
 
 John Sayre 
 
 Henry Kepples 
 
 James Mease 
 
 Peter Chevalier, Junr. 
 
 Charles Meredith 
 
 Danl. Benezet 
 
 Sam. Cars an 
 
 John Gibson 
 
 John Peyton 
 
 Wm. Adcock 
 
26 
 
 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Walter Shee 
 John Cadwalader 
 Thomas Mifflin 
 Thos. Burke 
 Geo. Fullerton 
 Saml. Jackson 
 Alex. Huston 
 Richard Wells 
 Saml. Sansom, Junior 
 Benj. Swett, Junr. 
 Jno. Murray 
 Thomas Montgomery 
 James Alexander 
 Benjamin Levy 
 Thos. Riche 
 S. Shoemaker 
 Cornelius Bradford 
 Andrw. Hodge 
 Wm. Henry 
 John Biddle 
 Charles Williams 
 BucKRiDGE Sims 
 William Pusey 
 William Gibbons 
 Jno. Ord 
 
 Saml. Morris, Junr. 
 Andw. Bankson 
 GiLB. Barkly 
 Isaac Wikoff 
 M. Furman 
 RicHD. Parker 
 James Gordon 
 Thos. Potts 
 Benja. Kendall 
 
 TowNSEND White 
 Wm. Ball 
 John Allen 
 John Nixon 
 William Symonds 
 Henry Groth 
 Thos. Bond, Junr. 
 Francis Jeyes 
 William Morrell 
 Danl. Williams 
 Saml. Purviance 
 Cadw. Morris 
 Tho. Richardson 
 John Cox, Junr. 
 John^Maxwell Nesbitt 
 Enoch Story 
 Wm. Bradford 
 John Chevalier 
 Jno. Ladd Howell 
 Joseph Swift 
 James Harding 
 Geo. Clymer 
 Reese Meredith 
 John Bell 
 Thos. Gilbert 
 Chas. Coxe 
 Saml. Flower 
 Jos. Redman 
 Wm. Hodge 
 Jno. Bayard 
 Tho. Wharton, Junr. 
 JosiAH Hewes 
 Andrew Reed" 
 
 i 
 
willing letters and papers. 27 
 
 Advertisement of Willing and Morris. ^^ 
 
 "Just arrived from Bristol, the ship Sarah, 
 Capt. James Drew: having on board thirty 
 indented servant men and men boys, aged 
 from 16 to 17 years, who have to serve from 
 four to seven years, and amongst them are 
 the following trades and occupations, 
 
 "One white-smith, one black-smith, one lock- 
 smith, one bright smith one wool comber, one 
 butcher, one limeburner, one * Plaisterer, one 
 coachman, one joiner, one braisier, one leather 
 dresser, one mason, one gentleman's servant, 
 one sawyer and the remainder shoemakers, 
 weavers, husbandmen and labourers. They 
 are to be seen on board said ship, at Willing 
 and Morris's wharf, who have to dispose of 
 their times, and can shew the character each 
 servant bore in his own country. 
 
 "The said Willing and Morris have import- 
 g^ *** »» 
 
 ^^Pennsylvania Journal. No. 1167. April 18, 1765, page 3, 
 
28 willing letters and papers. 
 
 General Bouquet to Thomas Willing. 
 "Philadelphia 25*^ June, 1765.^^ 
 
 *'I shall be no more, My good Friend, when 
 you read this last Letter, but I indulge myself 
 with the pleasing thought that our Friendship 
 will not even then be extinct, and that you will 
 some times think of me. 
 
 "The Five Tracts of Land which I give you 
 in my Will, I beg you will make over to your 
 Sister EHzabeth Willing. They are worth little 
 or nothing at this Time, but may hereafter 
 become of some value, tho' at best a very 
 trifling mark of my Respect & attachment for 
 my dear Betsie. May she be as happy in a 
 worthy Husband, as she is in a brother. 
 
 "I leave you nothing, because I have nothing 
 worthy of your acceptance, & only give you 
 here, an additional Trouble. I must die as I 
 have lived. 
 
 "Farewell my good Friend. Be happy, — Give 
 
 ^^ Volume of Stvift and Willing Letters (Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. George Harrison Fisher: Brigadier-General 
 Henry Bouquet; The Pennsylvania Magazine, Philadelphia, 1879, Vol- 
 ume III., page 121. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 29 
 
 my Love to Nancy, Dolly and your other 
 Sisters. Adieu I shall be to my last hour. 
 "Yours most affectionally 
 
 Henry Bouquet 
 
 ^^ Thomas Willing Esq''.'' 
 
 Superscription : 
 
 "To Tho^ Willing Esq^ 
 at Philadelphia 
 "Hen: Bouquet." 
 
 The Non-Importation Resolutions of the 25**" 
 of October, 1765. The original manuscript was 
 presented to the Historical Society of Pennsyl- 
 vania on the 8*^ of May, 1854 by William 
 Bradford.^'' The resolutions are as follows: — 
 
 "The Merchants & Traders of the City of 
 Philadelphia, taking into their consideration the 
 Melancholy state of the N°. American commerce 
 
 ^^ The following explanatory letter accompanied the Non-Impor- 
 tation Resolutions manuscript when it was presented to the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 "Phila^Mayio*'*i854. 
 "Hon. Thomas Sergeant 
 
 President of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 
 "Dear Sir 
 
 "Permit me to present through you to the Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania, the original Declaration of Independence made by the 
 
30 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 in general, and the distressed situation of this 
 Province of Pennsylvania in particular, do unani- 
 mously agree: — 
 
 "That, the many difficulties they now Labour 
 under as a trading people, are owing to the 
 Restrictions, Prohibitions and ill ad vis' d Regu- 
 lations made in several Acts of the Parliament 
 of Great Britain lately pass'd to regulate the 
 Colonies; which have limited the Exportation of 
 some part of our country produce, encreas'd the 
 cost and expence of many articles of our Impor- 
 tation and cut off from us all means of supply- 
 ing ourselves with Specie enough, even to pay the 
 
 citizens of Philadelphia known as the Non-Importation Resolutions. 
 This paper was a gift to me by my late grandfather, Thomas Brad- 
 ford. At the time of the gift he made substantially the following 
 statement; that this paper was the first public act in this country, 
 declaring resistance to the oppressive acts of the British Crown; 
 That when a young man, he went from house and store to store in the 
 then City of Philadelphia and obtained the majority of the signatures 
 hereto annexed; That the city limits were then, Race Street on the 
 north, Third Street on the west. Dock Creek on the south and the 
 River Delaware on the east; that his father William Bradford being 
 a member of a committee appointed at a public meeting held by the 
 citizens for the purpose of procuring signatures to these resolutions, 
 gave the paper to him and that after he had procured many of the 
 signatures, the document was placed in his father's office at the Coffee 
 House; which was kept at the corner of Front and Market Streets 
 for public inspection at which place the remaining names were added. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 3 1 
 
 duties impos'd on us, much less to serve as a 
 Medium of our Trade. 
 
 "That, this Province is heavily in Debt to Great 
 Britain for the Manufactures 8c other Importa- 
 tions from thence, which the Produce of our 
 lands have been found unequal to pay for, when 
 a free exportation of it to the best Markets was 
 allow *d of, and such trades open as supply 'd us 
 with Cash & other Articles of immediate remit- 
 tance to Great Britain. 
 
 "That the late unconstitutional law (the stamp 
 Act) if carried into execution in this Province, 
 will further tend to prevent our making those 
 
 "These facts have induced me to oflEer this choice relic to the Society 
 to be deposited in its archives as the most appropriate for its pres- 
 entation. 
 
 "Some years since I loaned it to our fellow citizen, Mr. Thomas 
 Fisher, who had fac similes taken of it which are to be seen in many 
 of our Public Institutions and in various other places. 
 "With sentiments of respect & esteem I remain 
 
 Your Obt. Servant 
 
 W'^. Bradford. 
 
 "The date of October 25, 1765 was placed on the docimient by my 
 Grandfather Thomas Bradford in lead pencil. I know it to be his 
 writing, it was done at the time he gave me the paper. He was ninety 
 years of age when he gave the instrument to me and in the full vigor 
 of all his powers of mind and body. May S***, 1835. 
 
 "W^. Bradford." 
 
32; WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Remittances to Great Britain, for payment of 
 old Debts, or purchase of more Goods, which 
 the Faith subsisting between the Individuals 
 trading with each other requires. And therefore, 
 in justice to ourselves, to the Traders of Great 
 Britain who usually give us Credit & to the 
 Consumers of British Manufactures in this 
 Province: the Subscribers hereto have voluntarily 
 and unanimously come into the following resolu- 
 tions and agreements, in hopes that their 
 Example will stimulate the good people of this 
 Province, to be frugal in their use and consump- 
 tion of all Manufactures, excepting those of 
 America and lawful goods coming Directly from 
 Ireland Manufactured there, whilst the necessi- 
 ties of our Country are such as to require it; 
 And in- hopes that their Brethren the Merchants 
 and Manufacturers of Great Britain will find 
 their own Interest so intimately connected with 
 ours, that they will be spurr'd on to befriend us 
 from that Motive, if no other shou'd take place. 
 "First, it is unanimously resolved and agreed 
 that in all orders, any of the Subscribers to this 
 Paper, may send to Great Britain for goods, 
 they shall and will direct their Correspondents not 
 to ship them untill the Stamp Act is repealed. — 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 33 
 
 "Secondly, That, all those amongst the Sub- 
 scribers that have already sent orders to Great 
 Britain for goods, shall and will immediately 
 countermand the same until the Stamp Act is 
 Repealed, —Except such Merchants as are owners 
 of vessels already gone or now cleared out for 
 Great Britain, who are at liberty to bring back 
 in them on their own Accounts, Coales, Casks 
 of Earthenware, Grindstones, Pipes, Iron Pots, 
 empty Bottles & such other bulky Articles as 
 owners usually fill up their Ships with, but no 
 dry Goods of any kind, except such kind of Dye 
 stuffs & utensils necessary for carrying on Manu- 
 factures, that may be order'd by any Person. 
 
 ''Thirdly, That, none of the Subscribers hereto 
 shall or will vend any Goods or Merchandize 
 whatsoever, that shall be ship'd them on Com- 
 mission from Great Britain after the first Day 
 of January next unless the Stamp Act be re- 
 peaVd. 
 
 "Fourthly, That these resolves & Agreements 
 shall be binding on all & each of us the Sub- 
 scribers who do hereby each and every Person 
 for himself, upon his word of Honour, agree, that 
 he will strictly & firmly adhere to, and abide 
 by, every article from this time untill the first 
 
34 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 day of May next, when a Meeting of the Sub- 
 scribers shall be call'd, to consider whether the 
 further continuance of this obligation be then 
 Necessary. 
 
 "Fifthly, It is agreed that if goods of any kind 
 do arrive from Great Britain at such time or 
 under such circumstances, as to render any 
 signer of this Agreement suspected of having 
 broke his promise, the Committee now appointed 
 shall enquire into the premises, and if such 
 suspected person refuses or cannot give them 
 Satisfaction, the Subscribers hereto will unani- 
 mously take all prudent measures to discoun- 
 tenance and prevent the Sale of such goods 
 untill they are released from this agreement by 
 mutual and general Consent. 
 
 "Lastly, As it may be necessary that a Com- 
 mittee of the Subscribers be appointed to wait 
 on the Traders of this City to get this present 
 agreement universally Subscrib'd, the following 
 Gentlemen are appoin[t]ed for that purpose. — 
 Thomas Willing & Samuel Mifflin Esq"., 
 Thomas Montgomery, Samuel Howell, Samuel 
 Wharton, John Rea, WilP Fisher, Joshua 
 Fisher, Peter Chevalier, Benjamin Fuller and 
 Abel James. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 35 
 
 "Tho". Willing 
 
 Jam^ Pemberton 
 
 Jos: Fox 
 
 Joshua Fisher & Son 
 
 B. Fuller 
 
 Sam"^ Burge 
 
 B. Sims 
 
 Tho^ Bond Ju 
 
 W. Morris Jun 
 
 Amos Strettell 
 
 Joseph Swift 
 
 Thomas Montgomery 
 
 John Chew 
 
 Stamper & Bingham 
 
 Abr"". Mitchel 
 
 John Bayard 
 
 John Gibson 
 
 THO^ Smith 
 
 CONYNGHAM & NeSBITT 
 
 Carson Barclay & 
 
 Mitchell 
 Israel Morris Jun''. 
 Benj^. Gibbs 
 Francis Jeyes 
 Robert Montgomery 
 Sam*- Caldwell 
 Jn°. Ladd Howell 
 Sam"- Purviance JuN^ 
 Jn°. Ross J^ 
 Benja Wynkoop 
 John Wikoff 
 Jn°. Hart 
 Tench Tilghman 
 Cad & Sam'^ C. Morris 
 
 Jos: Saunders 
 Baynton Wharton & 
 
 Morgan 
 Kearny & Gilbert 
 Sam'- Smith 
 W Storrs Fry 
 John Cox Jun". 
 Ab^ Usher 
 Peter Wikoff 
 Fr^ Richardson Ju"". 
 David Hall 
 Steph'' Carmick 
 William Scott 
 James Budden 
 Sam'- Mathey 
 Jn^ Shu 
 RoB^ Morris 
 Tho^ Wallace 
 Benjamin Levy 
 Benj: Swett ju". 
 Tho Wharton 
 Dan'- Rundle 
 John Nixon 
 Jos Wharton jun" 
 Persifor Frazer 
 Enoch Story 
 Jn° Ord 
 Francis Harris 
 Sam"- Morris Jun" 
 Daniel Roberdeau 
 W" Lloyd 
 Ja^ Harding 
 Peter Reeve 
 Sam Hudson 
 
36 
 
 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Dan^ Benezet 
 
 Samson Levy 
 
 Joseph Dean 
 
 Jn° & Peter Chevalier 
 
 David Deshler 
 
 David Sproat 
 
 W". Richards 
 
 David Potts 
 
 Wills & Jackson 
 
 John & David Rhea 
 
 Reese Meredith 
 
 Jos. Richardson 
 
 Joshua Howell 
 
 Richr° Parker 
 
 Sam"- Morton 
 
 W" Heysham 
 
 John Peirse 
 
 W*. Bradford 
 
 THO^ West 
 
 Benj'' Rawle 
 
 Ja^. Harvey 
 
 Zac". Hutchings 
 
 Philip Benezet 
 
 Tench Francis 
 
 Joseph Wood 
 
 Tho Wharton jun" 
 
 Benj*". Morgan 
 
 W" DOWELL 
 
 Cha^ Thomson 
 W**. Sitgreaves 
 Caleb Jones 
 JosiAH Hewes 
 Sam'- Mifflin 
 Tho^ Riche 
 
 Sam"-. Purviance 
 Willing & Tod 
 Geo Clymer 
 Da Beveridge 
 Geo Emlen Jun"". 
 Geo Bryan 
 
 TOWNSEND W^HITE 
 
 Peter Knight 
 Alex'- Huston 
 John Sparhawk 
 THO^ Turner 
 James Drinker 
 FRAN^ Wade 
 James James 
 Sam Howell 
 William Rush 
 
 Hu: DONNALDSON 
 
 Elijah Brown 
 Jn° Mifflin 
 Jn° Morton 
 Arch° M Call 
 John Mease 
 John Armitt 
 Sam Meredith 
 
 CHA^ COXE 
 
 THO^ Penrose 
 James Penrose 
 Dowers & Yorke 
 James Benezet 
 W^ Henry 
 
 George & John Kidd 
 Peter Turner Sen 
 Isaac & Jo^ Paschall 
 Lydia & Elz Hyde 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 37 
 
 Joseph Jacobs 
 W** Symonds 
 Jn°. Zest (or Test) 
 Jos: Pennock ju"* 
 RoB^ Taggart 
 W Falconer 
 William Craig 
 Owen Biddle 
 Benj^. Hooton 
 David Bacon 
 Sam"- Carruthers 
 Jacob Shoemaker jun''. 
 Bartram & Dundas 
 RoB^ Bass 
 Peyton & Adcock 
 Nath Tweedy 
 Rich"*. & Peter Footman 
 Ad". Hoops 
 Caleb Hewes 
 Sam"-. Fisher 
 Joseph Baker 
 
 CoXE & FURMAN 
 
 RoB^. Waln 
 
 Geo: Robotham 
 
 And"^. Bankson 
 
 Hugh & Geo Roberts 
 
 Jere*". Warder 
 
 Rob: Tuckniss 
 
 John Steinmetz 
 
 Hugh Forbes 
 
 B. F. for Randle 
 
 Mitchell 
 Joseph Claypoole 
 Rich". Swan 
 
 Allen & Turner 
 John Ingles 
 John Pringle 
 John Nelson 
 Sam'- Bunting 
 Tho Clifford 
 Isaac Cox 
 Sam'- Smith 
 James Hartley 
 S"- Shoemaker 
 W. Allison 
 Hyman Levy Jun"". 
 Ja^. Wharton 
 John Bell 
 Magee & Sanderson 
 Henry Keppele Ju"". 
 John Hughes 
 Reuben Haines 
 Owen Jones 
 Elis"" Paschall 
 Benjam" Da vies 
 Hudson Emlen 
 Rich". Waln 
 John Knowles 
 William Vander- 
 
 SPIEGOL 
 
 Peter Thomson 
 W. Pollard 
 Tho Lawrence 
 judah foulke 
 John Cox 
 Theo Gardner 
 Sam"- Sansom Jun 
 Th Bond 
 
38 
 
 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 James Eddy 
 
 Philip Kearny Jr. 
 
 RlCH^. Bache 
 
 Jona: Evans 
 
 Anthony Stocken 
 
 Jo Smith 
 
 Hugh M^Culloch 
 
 Phil: Syng 
 
 Garrett & Geo. Meade 
 
 J. Craig 
 
 W": MORRELL 
 
 John Bayly 
 John Peters 
 HuBLEY & Graff 
 Thomas Dicas 
 Mease & Miller 
 John Reynell 
 WiLL^. & And^ Cald- 
 well 
 W. West 
 John Leacock 
 Ja White 
 John Allen 
 George Glontworth 
 William Pusey 
 Joseph King 
 W^. & Sam\ Corry 
 THO^ Paschall 
 John Cottringer 
 W^. Ball 
 W" Moore 
 Clement Biddle 
 Jacob Duche 
 Joseph Richardson 
 
 V Turner Jun 
 
 Jn° & Lamb Cadwalader 
 
 Jona: Browne 
 
 Will: Humphreys 
 
 Jn°. Wharton 
 
 Godfrey Laycock 
 
 Charles Stedman for 
 Self & Brother 
 
 Benj"" Armitage Jun 
 
 RoB^. Wilson 
 
 Sam"- Ormes 
 
 Isaac Wikoff 
 
 Ann Pearson 
 
 John Baldwin 
 
 Benj"". Kendall 
 
 W^. Hodge 
 
 John Fullerton 
 
 James Stuart 
 
 James Searle 
 
 Abra Bickley 
 
 Ja^ Maccubbin 
 
 Tho^ Cadwalader 
 
 James Tilghman 
 
 W. Bryan 
 
 Her^ Courtenay 
 
 JN^ Moore 
 
 John Byrn 
 
 Tho Robinson 
 
 Christopher Mar- 
 shall & Sons 
 
 Benja Marshall 
 
 Abel James signs for 
 Jonathan Zane by 
 his desire. 
 
 J 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 39 
 
 Sam: Pleasant 
 Thomas Savadge 
 W^. Wilson 
 Benj"" Harbeson 
 Benjamin Chew 
 David Franks 
 JN^ White 
 John Flanagan 
 Ben: Booth 
 Stephen Shewell 
 Jn°. & Tho" Phillips 
 Lathim & Jackson 
 Charles Wharton 
 Alex. Lunan 
 John Heaton 
 Charles Batho 
 
 RlCH°. BUDDEN 
 
 John Dickinson 
 Philn: Dickinson 
 Will"*. Logan 
 John Boyle 
 RoB^ Harris 
 Joseph Trotter 
 Geo: Morrison 
 E. Milne 
 CoRN^ Bradford 
 Woodham & Young 
 
 WlLL^. I BISON 
 
 Stephen Collins 
 John Head 
 Jacob Winey 
 Jn° Drinker Jun'' 
 Sam"- Cheesman 
 W Shippen jun'' 
 
 Isaac & Moses) 
 
 Bartram / 
 W^. Clampffer 
 A Morris Ju^ 
 Andreas Brechell 
 I Jones for Jones & 
 
 Wall 
 Shaw & Sprogell 
 Hen'' Harrison 
 p sonmans 
 John Wilcocks 
 John Priest 
 Orr Glenholme & C°. 
 
 W NiCHOLLS 
 
 Jos. Morris 
 Geo. a. Morris 
 Jn°. Wood 
 Walter Shu & Son 
 Jn° Kearsley jr 
 Murray & Blair 
 Geo Davis 
 WisHART & Edwards 
 JA^ Alexander 
 Jo^ & Amos Hillborn 
 Plun^ Fleeson 
 Barnard & Jugiez 
 James Claypoole 
 Tho^. Charlton 
 Isaac Morris Jr 
 Peter Howard 
 Marcy Gray 
 Isr: Pemberton 
 Rd Humphreys 
 Magdalen Devine 
 
40 
 
 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 John Wallace 
 Caleb P'oulke 
 RiCH°. Stevens 
 
 W. M'^MURTRIE 
 
 And''' Allen 
 Alex'' Smith 
 Will". Fisher 
 OswELL Eve 
 Francis Street 
 Ellis Lewis 
 Neave & Harman 
 Lester Falkner 
 Mathias Bush 
 Michael Gratz 
 Barnard Gratz 
 Dan"-. Williams 
 HuMPHERY Robinson 
 John Bringhurst 
 James Hunter 
 Bartram & Lennox 
 Philip Kinsey 
 Daniel Wister 
 Henry Keppele Senior 
 
 John Wister 
 Moses Mordeca his mark 
 John Kidd 
 Thomas Carpenter 
 David M'^murtrie 
 RoB^. Hardie 
 James Wallace 
 James Fullton 
 Hugh Bowe 
 Charles Meredith 
 John Clayton 
 Jn°. Relfe 
 Stewart Duncan & C°. 
 
 M^HeILE & TOLBERT 
 
 Jos Redman 
 
 Sam'- Mifflin for ) 
 
 Phenias Bond / 
 Vincent Lookermary 
 
 & Son 
 William Turner 
 Tho Lightfoot 
 Tho. Mifflin" 
 
 Advertisement of Willing and Morris" 
 "The ship TYGER, George Johnston com- 
 mander, is just arrived from Cowes and Rot- 
 terdan with 350 freights of PALATINES, All 
 in good health ; 
 
 Pennsylvania Journal. No. 1511. Nov. 21, 1771, page 3. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 4I 
 
 "Their passages are to be paid to Willing 
 and Morris, and the ship rides at anchor in 
 the river Delaware, near to their wharf. 
 
 "The baggage of some of the Palatines that 
 came in the Minerva, Captain Arnot, is brought 
 over in this ship, and the owners are desired 
 to apply as above; there are some charges on 
 its coming down from Germany to Holland, 
 which must be paid to Willing and Morris be- 
 fore said baggage is delivered." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Mr. Inglis.^** 
 
 "Phil^. Aug''. 7, 1773 
 "Dear Sir: 
 
 "Coll° Byrd tells me he designs to send me 
 up a parcell of wheat at such time the next 
 fall, as the prospect may be the most encour- 
 aging — I want much to get him & myself dis- 
 charged from our bond to M^ Watts, & wou'd 
 do everything I cou'd, to get this effected; but 
 as I wish to do this, with as little loss to him 
 as possible; or rather wou'd procure him every 
 Advantage; I must beg of you to give him y' 
 best advice & assistance. The first you'l be 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
42 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 able to do from the constant information you'l 
 receive from hence of the state of our Market, 
 & the latter by geting him a Vessell whenever 
 it's best, on cheaper terms than he can do I 
 have wrote him to this effect, & assured him y* 
 you will readily do both, & I flatter myself I am 
 not mistaken, you'l much oblige me by being 
 instrumental in this work, on this occasion, as 
 there is no one thing I wish more, than to get 
 this Old Affair w*^ M^ Watts settled. 
 
 "I shall probably pay off ab* £300- of this 
 debt in a few days, & draw on CoP Byrd 
 in y"" fav"" for the Amo* pay*^ at y"" October 
 Court, at w*" time he assures me, he will pay 
 my bill without delay. I must put myself to 
 some inconvenience by lying out of my Money, 
 & shall give you some unproffitable trouble; 
 but I know you'l be good enough to excuse 
 "Y^ friend & hum Serv* 
 
 Tho^. Willing 
 
 pray make my Compliments 
 to y"" brother George if still 
 with you — 
 
 "Mr. Inglis — " 
 
willing letters and papers. 43 
 
 Advertisement of Willing and Morris 
 Company ^^ 
 **Just imported by Willing, Morris, and Co. 
 A Quantity of Dryed Hydes, superior in qual- 
 ity to any before imported into North- America, 
 and will be sold for cash or a short credit." 
 
 Thomas Willing to General Frederick 
 Haldimand.^^ 
 
 "Philadelphia, September 2oth, 1774. 
 
 "***My brother James intends for the Miss- 
 issippi, but will I dare say do himself the 
 pleasure to see you before his departure. I 
 wish the situation of Public affairs had per- 
 mitted you to have visited us here this time. 
 If you are to be delayed until our distractions 
 are settled, I fear from present appearences, 
 it will be much too long; repeated injuries on 
 the one side, and retorted Insults on the other, 
 will probably keep alive the Coal which must 
 consume the vitals of both countrys. I am no 
 great Politician but as an American I both 
 See and feel the chains which are prepared for 
 
 *^ Pennsylvania Packet. No. 137 June 6, 1774, page 4. 
 ^^ The Pennsylvania Magazine: Volume VL, 1882, page 366. 
 
44 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 me. I honor & glory in the reputation of 
 the mother country and I love my own 
 whose liberties and interest are most cruelly 
 and unjustly attack'd. Some humiliation on 
 their part and Some concessions on Ours seems 
 to me the only proper and probable way, of 
 settling the unhappy dispute; they are con- 
 tending for shadows, we for substantial, which 
 I hope to God will never be risted from us, 
 by the Iron hand of Power; You'l excuse a 
 friend, who having all at stake speaks in the 
 sincerity of his heart and wishes well to both 
 countries****" 
 
 Concerning the Appointment of Thomas 
 
 Willing to the Supreme Court of the 
 
 Province.^^ 
 
 "The Honorable John Penn Esquire Governor 
 & Commander in Chief of the Province of 
 Pennsylvania & Counties of New Castle, Kent 
 & Sussex on Delaware. 
 
 ^^ Penn — Physick Papers. Volume of warrents to affix the Great 
 Seal, XV 1769 — 1776, page 80, in the Historical Society of Pennsyl- 
 vania. Thomas Willing was first appointed a Justice of the Supreme 
 Court of the Province of Pennsylvania in 1767. He continued to 
 serve in that office until August, 1776. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 45 
 
 "To Edmund Physick Keeper of the Great 
 Seal of the said Province Esquire Greeting 
 
 "These are to authorize & require You to 
 affix the said Seal to a Commission tested by 
 me and bearing even date herewith appoint- 
 ing Thomas Willing Esquire Third Justice of 
 the Supreme Court of the said Province, and 
 for so doing this shall be your Warrant. 
 
 "Given under my Hand & the Lesser Seal of 
 the said Province at Philadelphia the twenty 
 second Day of September in the Year of our 
 Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. 
 
 "John Penn" 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris. ^° 
 
 "Phil^ Jan'' 8th, 1777. 
 "Dear Sir 
 
 "I have but a moment before M"^^ Barry's 
 departure to tell you that I rec'd your's of 
 the 22"^ Ult° safe together with the others which 
 accompanied it they came to hand only yester- 
 day & shall be copied & sent forward as soon 
 as possible sorry I am for the occasion of 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
46 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 them but sincerely hope y* Matters will turn 
 out in the end rather better than you appre- 
 hend. The Person in question has been Vi- 
 cious; he may nevertheless have been honest, 
 if a Man who neglects his trust, can be said 
 to be so — if he has meddled with the Cap- 
 ital funds without applying the Money pro- 
 perly it looks 111 & he must be without ex- 
 cuse — time alone can develop the truth & set 
 our Minds at ease — I approve of all you pro- 
 pose doing with whatever concerns my Interest 
 — I know it is not only safe under your care, 
 but am quite satisfied that it will be man- 
 aged to the best advantage. 
 
 "Give my love to M^ Morris & all y' little 
 Ones. Tell her M^^ White set off for Maryl*^ 
 last (S)aturday accompanied by Isaac Penrose, 
 She was well & hav* had fine Weather I hope 
 she'l get safe to her family. R. W. rec'd. the 
 £300 — he has sold off my Grain &c for Paper 
 Money, & now M"" James refuses to take 
 it in discharge of my bond — this is hard treat- 
 ment — R. W. has returned the order I men- 
 tion'd for £100. to have sent him on you 
 the 14th Ult" & I've cancell'd it— he'l have 
 more than will be of any use to me, as those 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 47 
 
 People on't receive my debts in Paper Money. 
 I hope your two horses got safe up — M" 
 Chew is return'd, She's in love with them — 
 I hope you'l get 5 or 6oo£ for them at least. 
 *'I am my dear Sir with truth & affection 
 "Y"^ sincere friend 
 
 Tho^ Willing. 
 
 Exch"^ at par 
 
 RoB^ Morris Esq." 
 
 "Superscription — Roh^ Morris Esq'' 
 "at Manheim 
 
 "Lancaster County" 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris Esq. 
 AT Lancaster.^' 
 
 "Phil'' Oc'' ist 1777. 
 "Dear Sir, 
 
 "This will be forwarded to you by a friend 
 who tells me he can send it with safety — the 
 business is to let you know the very disa- 
 greeable intelligence I have had from T. Cox 
 & G. Barclay, respect^ the shock given to our 
 Credit by our former friends in Europe — who 
 
 ^' Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
48 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 have protested our Drafts to a very great 
 amount, these gentlemen say, they heard in 
 N. York, that our return'd bills, amounted to 
 3000o£ Ster^ that they were chiefly in the 
 hands of H. Wallace and M^ Foliot— M' T. 
 Coxe says y* Sam Kemble told him, he heard 
 in London last Fall, y* our bills were protested 
 to the amo^ of £36000 — this is a shock, I 
 was not prepared for, by you, or any the 
 least Suspicion of my own, & you must know, 
 how horrid & distressing my feelings must 
 be on the occasion — to have such a demand 
 come upon me unprepared as I am to satisfy 
 it, is terrible indeed — ruin & a Gaol, stare me 
 in the face — If the news is true, I fear I shall 
 sink under it — you alone can calm my fears 
 if its false, or put me in a Way to extricate 
 myself if you believe its true. I therefore 
 conjure you by all the ties of friendship to 
 write me fully on this head directly — let me 
 know what part I can Act when these demands 
 appear, tell me where we have Effects to sat- 
 isfy them, & what has been the Cause of this 
 unexpected and terrible stroke. A letter sent 
 down to R. W. in Haverford township, Chester 
 County near the Fox Chase — can be sent in 
 perhaps privately — or if discovered no harm 
 can happen, if you confine yourself to this 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 49 
 
 private business — If M"" Swanwicks Messenger 
 comes back it may come under Cover to him — 
 
 "We are all well under my roof, & so is M" 
 White too — God bless & preserve you, I wish 
 your happiness & hope you'l save mine, all in 
 your power, & as soon as you can — my anxi- 
 ety & distress will be great untill I hear from 
 you — do send down y"" letter to R. W. directly — 
 
 "I am affectionately y'■^ 
 
 "T. W. 
 "M'' Morris 
 
 "Sometimes I flatter myself that the Sum is 
 greatly exaggerated, perhaps by Envy or Mal- 
 ice, or to answer some other purpose but a 
 larger sum I fear is really there, than I have 
 wherewith to pay off — you know my feelings, 
 & I am sure will do the best you can for me — 
 I can't live under such a load." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris^^ 
 
 "Phil^ Oct'' 13TH, 1777. 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "This letter I hope will be deliver'd you by 
 our good friend John Brown, whose kind dis- 
 position to serve Us has induced him to under- 
 take this journey, he will tell you the great 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
50 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 distress & anxiety I have suffered in conse- 
 quence of the report which prevailed respecting 
 our protested bills of Exchange. 
 
 "When I wrote you the 2^ Inst, by T. Mur- 
 dock I was told they amounted to at least 
 £30000 Ster^, but by a conversation I have 
 since had with Dan* Roberts M"" Warren & 
 some others, I believe the Sum is by no means 
 so large, & y* the report was calculated only 
 to injure the Credit of our house, W" the Genf" 
 of the Army tho* was made subservient to 
 the American Cause. However, I have reason 
 to think there is a considerable Sum coming 
 here; perhaps 7, or 8ooo£ D. Roberts bro* 
 me one draft of 4*^ Sept' 1775 on W. Baynes 
 & C° for £700— in fav' of I & P. Wickoff. 
 Protested in Jan^ 1776 y* was the 2^ bill, & 
 he said the first had been sent out long 
 ago, but he supposed was detained at N. York 
 together with above 200 of their other letters, 
 all w*' are now coming in the fleet; & that he 
 tho* there was only 4 or 5 other bills of our 
 Drafts amongst them. T. Cox has got one 
 for £120 drawn by James Jones Wilmer on 
 Wm Carmichael & indors'd by W" Geddes, 
 Tho^ Ringold & W. M. & Co. This is sent 
 by M*" Yeates to be recovered. No other has 
 yet appeared, but I fear that when the fleet 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 5 1 
 
 comes up, many more will be presented to me 
 by my last you will have seen my apprehen- 
 sion's on this Subject & how desirous I am 
 to be prepared to acquit ourselves with repu- 
 tation. You will know I can do this only 
 through your means, & with your best assist- 
 ance, therefore I beg of you to let me know 
 what steps I shall take, tell me what you know 
 of the matter, what funds we can Use at pres- 
 ent, & what prospect you have of providing 
 against the whole extent of this unexpected 
 demand. 
 
 "I have rec'd only one letter to the house, 
 w'' I now send you inclos'd from B. C. Bewicke — 
 
 "I had yesterday the pleasure of seeing CoP 
 Patterson, he has assured me y* he will in- 
 terest himself to serve me in the recovery of 
 what letters we have in L*^ Howe's hands 
 covering bills return 'd to Us. he is really a 
 polite well bred Man, & did me the honor 
 of a visit — he is all in all at Court, & a better 
 choice, coul'd not have been made; for what- 
 ever depends on humanity & benevolence to- 
 ward the whole human race, may be expected 
 from his well known Character, in short he 
 is a Man of honor & an honest worthy Man — 
 
52 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 I have many other things to tell you but dare 
 go no further at present — whatever respects 
 your own affairs, and the disposition I have 
 made of them, M' Brown will inform you, & 
 you must rely entirely on what he says on 
 that subject. 
 
 "I lament from my Soul this Cruel separation 
 from the Man I love, & when I think of y"" 
 banishment from that stage on which you have 
 trod with such unrival'd reputation, I feel an 
 Anguish not to be express'd — I can say no 
 more! we cannot, must not part forever — this 
 is your proper scene, & here we must one day 
 meet again. God grant it may be soon — re- 
 member me to Col° Harrison — I bear him 
 much good will — remember me to Molly & 
 y' Children. I wish them health & Safety — 
 We are all well here — Adieu! attend to the 
 advice of your friend & take care of your health 
 — I am y" 
 
 "THo^ Willing." 
 Superscription — ' 
 
 "To 
 
 ''The Hon''' Robert Morris Esq\ 
 "Member of Congress." 
 
willing letters and papers. 53 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris." 
 The "Tom" mentioned in this letter was not 
 the son of Thomas WilHng; Thomas Mayne 
 Willing, who was born the 15th of April, 1767, 
 was, therefore, only ten years of age when this 
 letter was written, and at school in Philadelphia 
 at the time. 
 
 "Philad^ Nov"" ^° 1777. 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "I heartily thank you for the trouble you took 
 in stating to me so fully & particularly the 
 situation of our Protested bills as far as it 
 appeared to you to be within the bounds of 
 probability; and as far as I yet know with 
 any degree of certainty you may be right 
 enough, tho' if there is even to the amo* you 
 mention'd & y' brother does not take them 
 up, I fear I shall soon be made very uneasy 
 here. 
 
 "Our friend M' Brown having some business 
 in the Country has got a Pass to carry him 
 out of Town & has promised me either to send 
 you this or to give it into your own hands — 
 I shall therefore make Use of the opportunity, 
 
 '■'^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters (Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
54 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 to tell you that Mess""^ Herries & C° have 
 sent out a M' Patterson, as 
 
 their Agent to transact some business for them 
 to the Southward, in the Tobacco Way; & 
 also to call upon Us, for the ballance due them 
 on Acco* Curr* which I now inclose Amo*" 
 £7004.10.1 Sterling, but he is content to wait 
 for the Issue of the Dependencies mention' d 
 on the Credit Side of the Account amount^ 
 to £4100 Ster^ altho' he say's S*" Rob'' Herries 
 dont expect any thing like this sum from them 
 ^As to the remain^ ball^ of £2904.10.1 w*" 
 Interest M"^ Patterson has press 'd me much 
 to pay him (torn)ying there is not the least 
 expectation that General Lee's bills for £3000 
 will ever be paid — M"^ Garton has no effects 
 in his hands to pay E'm with, Muir & Atkin- 
 son were not disposed to enable him to take 
 them up — in short he believes they had received 
 hints from the Administration to discredit M' 
 Lee, or that they tho* to please Adminis- 
 tration by doing so; he utterly denies that 
 S" Robert had acted under any such influence, 
 when he protested our bills; that his doing 
 so arose only from the state of his own funds, 
 & the very large advance he was already under 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 55 
 
 —Patterson say's he has at N. York the Sales 
 of all the Tobacco we were concern'd in; that 
 our part of the net proceeds were carried to 
 our Credit in the Account rendered August 
 20th, 1776 — & so was our share of the Ship 
 Commerce — I mention these matters not know- 
 ing whether you ever receiv'd their former 
 Account; & if not, that you might not depend 
 on these matters without foundation — let me 
 beg of you to send me bills, and those you can 
 depend upon, on Order's to y" brother to pay 
 this demand off directly in deed my good friend 
 the accounts which M' Patterson has given 
 me of Tom's behaviour in London, leads me 
 to believe he has injured Us with our friends 
 there; his Dissipation, extravagance & Total 
 Neglect of them, & of all business, was a poor 
 return for the Confidence & Credit given him — 
 I fear he is not so well reclaim'd from his 
 folly's as you seem to think, & as he ought 
 to be in order to make Us safe under so large 
 a trust as is reposed in him. God grant he 
 may now attend to the bringing all our affairs 
 to a conclusion; if he does not, or squanders 
 the Substance in his hands, we shall be dis- 
 graced, and suffer too — he run thro. £1000, 
 
56 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 in London in 3 weeks & never wou'd see M^ 
 Herries, or several others of our Mercantile 
 friends — & when going off, he took up i5o£ 
 more from M' Motteaux to carry him clear — 
 you'l excuse me for mentioning these things but 
 they are too serious for you not to know them, 
 pray tell me how the point stands with re- 
 spect to M' Gavin Elliot, & the bill he had 
 assumed to pay; if that bill was actually with- 
 drawn after you had advised him of it you 
 had best order it to be paid to Herries & Co. 
 directly, & then provide for the remainder — 
 This is a most importunate Scoh & I must 
 satisfy him directly. He wants to go away 
 to N. York, & waits only for a return from 
 you to this Letter — ^he tells me y* he heard 
 in New York, that we owed H. Wallace, or 
 that he had demands upon Us to £22,000 
 St^ — pray had we ever any dealings with that 
 Man for half that Sum — I think not & think 
 too that M' Wallace shou'd have contradicted 
 the report which he well knew to prevail there 
 & that it was false — we have been 111 used by 
 some other's in that City besides him & Cruel- 
 ly used too. I hope you'l be able to tell some 
 folks so, face to face one day or other. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 57 
 
 "The Packet sail'd last week for England 
 & I sent y' letters to Tom under M" D. 
 Robert's Cover who behaved well in readily 
 send^ back the bill for £700 St^ on W" Baynes 
 & C°. I also wrote to Tom to pay Mess" 
 Spiers French & C*" & also the bill in the 
 hands of Mildred & Roberts belonging to M' 
 West & in short to Pay off all others' which 
 he cou'd hear of & to proceed to settle & ad- 
 just all accounts v/ith all possible dispatch — 
 I hope he will comply with our request, 
 tho* he never did answer the letter wrote 
 him by Mess"' Herries & C*' on the nth of 
 March by w^ he saw how Affairs stood with 
 E'm, M'. Patterson gave me Coppy of y* 
 Letter in Order to give me some Idea of the 
 State of our foreign Dependencies, & I now 
 send it to you for the like purpose — he said 
 it was more particular than he cou'd have 
 been upon Memory alone — but he thinks there 
 is little certainty as to any part except what 
 is in the hands of their own house at Barce- 
 lona ab* £2000 — If so, our fate is hard indeed. 
 
 "I have just heard that another Packet will 
 soon go off for Eng'^ therefore I have earnest- 
 ly requested M"" Brown to carry up this letter 
 
53 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 to you himself & to wait your answer & to 
 bring down any Letters you may have occasion 
 to write to your brother or any other's. Pray 
 write Tom in such terms, as will force an im- 
 mediate attention & tell him as I have done 
 already to retain the proceeds of the (torn) 
 digo &c from the River Mississippi; & not 
 to lodge more of our Property in that quarter. 
 I dislike Mr. Pollock's Conduct altogether & 
 dont wish to be involved any further with 
 him — I told you that T. Coxe had shown me a 
 bill for £120 belong^ to M"" Yeatis — we were 
 the last endorsers of that bill will you take 
 it up & call on M' Ringold's Executors for 
 repayment? If you conclude to do so, you'l 
 send down the bill by M*" Brown for Prin- 
 cipal & Damage & I'll send you up the old 
 bill by the next opportunity. 
 
 "I was so much a stranger to y"" transac- 
 tion with Gen^ Lee y* I don't know how you 
 were circumstanced as to the above £3000; 
 did you pay him for it, or was it only drawn 
 to get his money out of those People's hands? 
 I flatter myself it was for the latter purpose — 
 I also hope the 1000 in M' Elliots possession 
 may not have been drawn for, & y* it will 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 59 
 
 be at your disposal still. I call'd on M"" 
 White & told her what you said about her 
 going up to Manheim, & offer'd her any as- 
 sistance in my Power, & you may depend she 
 shall share in my Purse as far as her Neces- 
 sity's may require & the state of my finances 
 will allow — She is very well at present & so 
 are all other of y"" friends here. Under the 
 present prospect of such a Number of our 
 bills coming back Protested, I shall almost 
 fear to make use of the Credits left with me, 
 either on France or Holland. You may be as- 
 sured the report has been spread far & near 
 & with design to stab Us to the Vitals in the 
 Mercantile World. Curse on the Malice of 
 those who have invented it, or those who with 
 bad designs have spread it. I hope like the 
 Viper in the Fable, they'l find yet a File to 
 Knaw, which may break their Teeth. The 
 time may again come, when some of them may 
 court our favours. 
 
 "Adieu my friend! Keep up your Spirits; your 
 character & good Conduct, will still carry you 
 through every present difficulty — you have 
 left many friends behind you, who earnestly 
 wish y"" happiness — many wou'd now send 
 
60 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 you their remembrances did they know of my 
 writing — None of E'm talk oftener of you, 
 or wishes you better than my Httle Compan- 
 ion; her Spirits are good, her attachment 
 few but warm & very sincere; your (torn) 
 her particular favorite, & she alway's speaks of you 
 with a warmth & sincerity, y* gives me pleasure — 
 She thanks you for yotu kind remembrance of her 
 — how does y' little boy? I hope his Side is 
 quite well — My boys leg has healed up & he's in 
 good health I am told. After such an instance don't 
 despair of yours, tho' it may not be well yet. 
 
 "Francis came up to Luke Norris's Rope 
 Walk last friday in a flag of truce for a Nurse 
 & the Good Woman — both went off with him & I 
 hope my Sister is well in her bed by this time — he 
 told me he had heard you were well lately. 
 
 "God bless you; it's late & my paper is near- 
 ly out. I hope to God M' Brown will not be 
 interrupted on the road; this is important business 
 to Us & I hope no one will be so cruel to you or to 
 me as to stop him — I am with true affection yours 
 
 Tho^ Willing 
 "M^ Morris." 
 Superscription 
 
 "To 
 ''The Hon''' Robert Morris Esq' 
 "Member of Congress 
 "By John Brown" 
 
 I 
 
willing letters and papers. 6 1 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris.^* 
 
 "Phil^ Feb\ 6, 1778. 
 
 ''Dear Sir 
 
 "I rec'd y" of the lo'^ Ult'' by Philip & 
 am surprised you had not then got mine by 
 Barry in w^ I told you I had rec'd y"" letter 
 of the 22"^ Dece'" together with all those under 
 the same Cover. I felt most sensibly for the 
 unhappy Youth who was the Chief cause of 
 y"" writing those letters, & hope we shall not 
 find things turn out quite so bad as they ap- 
 pear at present — he has ruined himself, & I 
 dare say he has hurt Us, both in our Pockets 
 & reputation in some degree; but I cant be- 
 lieve him so wicked as to have taken up all 
 our Money, & not to have paid any of 
 our debts out of it. I am however pleased to 
 hear y* you had forwarded Copy's, as those 
 you sent me have not yet got out of this River 
 — I have got Coppy's, & will send E'm by 
 the very next Convey^ W™ McKensie declin'd 
 going to Eng*^ to join his Mas^ I therefore 
 gave the letters to a private hand to be de- 
 liver'd to Mess. Herries & Co. to whom the 
 Vessell belonged. She was formerly the Com- 
 
 ^* Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
62 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 merce. As I've not been pressed I have not 
 yet drawn any bills & will decline it untill 
 I can send away the Coppy's of y' letters. 
 No other bills have come here beside those you 
 have been told off, & I hope T. M. has taken 
 some of them up himself, inclos'd I send you 
 two letters from Herries & C° with their A/G* 
 antecedent to that I before sent you. These 
 are all the Act^ I have ever seen from them, 
 Altho' M' P. tells me there are Ac*' of Sales 
 &c; in N. York w^ he'l let me have when 
 he can, his behaviour is very Civil — ^the other 
 genf" mention'd by S"" Robt are not yet come 
 here — & I hope before they do y* the ball* 
 will have been lessened by further remittances 
 from Barcelona — M"" P. tells me the London 
 house had drawn on some of our other foreign 
 Correspondents for £1500 St^ but he don't 
 know the fate of their bills he say's — I hope 
 the remainder of the ball* will also be soon 
 in their hands & then those fears w^ seem 
 to have possessed them will subside — I believe 
 they tho* we were going to the Devil head- 
 long, 'twill be a happy day to me, when I 
 hear all those Gentry are fully paid; & y* 
 my peace may never again be so disturb 'd as 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 63 
 
 it has been in my fervent prayer. Your peace 
 was more secure than mine, as you knew the 
 reports to be false— I tho' E'm so, but was 
 too much in the dark to be quite easy — T. 
 •Penrose desires to know what the Ship Molly 
 sold for — by whom she was sold, & where his 
 part the Value was lodged — he says Green's 
 Ship must have been sold long ago, but he 
 has now wrote his friend to have it done, if 
 it has been delayed — I've wrote I. B. Esq*" 
 to the same effect, & gave the like advice re- 
 spect^ Robertson's property — I've directed 
 the house in Lisbon to remit to I. B. Esq' 
 all that remains in their hands & I shall draw 
 on him when necessary, as I propose to lodge 
 any balP I have in his hands— tell me if you 
 think I am prudent in so doing— I hope the 
 7oo£ bill on't return again here — if it come's 
 to ]rf Ross's knowledge perhaps he'l stop it, 
 if T. M. should not. 
 
 "Jos. Pemberton tells me he had the 75o£ 
 ready to make you the first paym* for the 
 Meadow at the time due, & want's to hear 
 from you what's to be done in that matter- 
 he has an Article of agreem* but no deed he 
 say's— he's willing to fulfill the bargin but the 
 
64 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 paym* must be in the Money then Current 
 or else a considerable abatement is expected. 
 
 "D. Smith says he has a private Ac* ags* 
 you of ab* £ioo besides an order of M"^ Moy- 
 lan's of £40 ab* a Negroe — these being allow'd 
 him he'l pay me the ball* but as he is not 
 commonly in a hurry to pay, perhaps you'l 
 have time to tell me y"" mind on this subject. 
 Any Accounts you have, to receive ballances 
 from People here, will be welcome to me, pro- 
 vided they are person's you think have honor 
 to pay me when they are able. 
 
 "Mr'. Moor, formerly Sally Lloyd, call'd on 
 me to know if I had the deed of settlement 
 made in trust to the Rev*^ M"" Peters & my- 
 self at the time of her Marriage, & to w*' you 
 are a Witness I believe— I have not got it — 
 you are therefore desired to get it from M*" 
 Rich*^ Peters, nephew & Executor to the de- 
 ceased, Doct. Peters — get it recorded & then 
 send down to me the original — She is much 
 distress 'd ab* it & I wish you'd please to 
 attend to this Matter, the worthy husband 
 notwithstanding. 
 
 "I. Himiphries call'd on me at due time for 
 payment of Dr. Searles bill for £120 2.8 Ster* 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 65 
 
 & as I've not heard from you, it's under pro- 
 test — ^however he can't find the Man who left 
 it with him & he tells me he had from him 
 8 other bills all in like situation, Protested — 
 I believe it will be kept here untill I hear 
 from you on the subject. 
 
 "I wish you'd give an answer to Jos. Gamble's 
 demand of £ioo — ^A/on Ac* settled long 
 ago he say's with W. & M. he say's also he 
 has a demand ag^*" you & M' Nesbit of ab* 
 £200 — I am very sorry to hear of M'' Nes- 
 bits Illness, but hope he soon got better — 
 pray give my Compliments & good wishes 
 to him — John Allen died the 2^ Inst, of a Ner- 
 vous fever — he has left a Widdow & two little 
 boys — Poor Rob* Pitchy died a few weeks 
 ago, he has left 3 Children & but little I 
 believe to support them. 
 
 "I am sorry for the trouble given you by 
 Hugh he came here in Compy with Philip — 
 two rascals together — I believe the latter to 
 be so, from his behaviour ab* the letter he 
 bro* down — & the former because you think 
 him such — tell M*" Hogeland, his sister is in 
 town; She got his letter from my own hands, 
 & She is very well. 
 
66 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Tell M". Morris y* her Mother set out for 
 Maryland under the Care of Isaac Penrose — 
 Ive heard nothing of her since. 
 
 "I've settled Accounts with John Green to 
 the 1st of January & rec'd the ball* of fre* 
 &c. due his Owner M' Pollock £184 Curr^— 
 his Vessell is in such a trim that 'twill take 
 double this Sum to fitt her out again there- 
 fore he seems to wish to have her sold; I have 
 advised him to it, if he can get her value or 
 near it, & I have some reason to believe this 
 may be done in a few Weeks — I shall write 
 C. W. what you say ab* his bills, 'twill give 
 him great comfort as it has done me to hear 
 it — I hope it may prevent him from coming 
 here at present which I suppose will not be 
 very convenient for him to do — R. W. has 
 rec'd Money enough to pay off any demands 
 he can have on my Ac*. You will therefore 
 draw on him for the Money you sent him 
 down if you can conveniently do it, or He 
 tell him to send it back again to you, if he 
 has a good Convey* I have no Use for it there, 
 & therefore need not trespass on you for it. 
 Feby 12th. 
 
 "Two days ago I was call'd upon by T. Coxe 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 67 
 
 w'^ a draft of T. Tilghman's in fav' of M'' 
 Francis dated ist Aug'* 1776 on W. M. & 
 C° to pay her what Money she may want 
 out of the Effects of F. & Tilghman under 
 y"" Care — I told him I knew nothing ab* those 
 affairs, had never any thing to do with them, 
 & had it not in my power to pay an3rthing — 
 that I suppos'd you had taken away their 
 books &c. w^ y' own, and wou'd pay or settle 
 w*" M' Tilghman, & pay him the kind of Money 
 you had receiv'd for him in his absence — 
 this shows you the necessity of settling such 
 matters as soon as you can, or else such de- 
 mands will be made on me to be paid in hard 
 money continually — this will be the case in 
 Wilson's & Gibb's affair perhaps — 
 
 "Yesterday I got from M"" Patterson a bundle 
 of Tobacco & other Sales, the Ship Commerce's 
 papers, & a blank set of Power's for you to 
 execute relative to Lee's Bills &c. M' Tod has 
 undertaken to send E'm by a very safe hand to 
 Potts Grove under care of his brother there, 
 or Else to M"" John Philips, to be by one of 
 E'm send up to you — 'twill probably be to 
 this bro' who'l leave E'm w^ M". Slough at 
 Lancaster himself — Alex"" Tod say's y' Marine 
 
68 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Committee owe him £1700 — he wishes it may 
 be p*^ to his brother, & hopes for your friend- 
 ship to procure the payment — It's a large sum 
 of Money to him, & he is not a little anxious 
 ab* it, it's therefore at his desire I now men- 
 tion it to you — I expected you'd have got 
 at least 200 £ each for your horses, or I 
 might perhaps better have sold E'm for you 
 here, where they were so well known that a 
 good price might have been got for them — 
 
 "I am requested to mention to you the Case 
 of my late Neighbor M' Chew — he is almost 
 distracted at his separation from his family — 
 'tis late in the day for him to be thus sepa- 
 rated from them, time becomes precious to a 
 Man at his year's, & he has a very large fam- 
 ily, and many of them small Children — he's 
 anxious to be permitted to return on his Par- 
 ole if such a thing can be accomplish 'd let 
 the terms be what they may, if he accepts 
 them, I'm sure his honor may be relyed upon 
 for a faithfull compliance. If anything can 
 be done for him, I know y' humanity can 
 only require a hint to prompt you to do it — 
 he has desired I shou'd mention it to you, 8c pro- 
 pos'd to write to you on the Subject himself — 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 69 
 
 "By a letter from our fr"^ R. Penn to Francis 
 w^ is in my hands open — I find he and the 
 women were all well in Oct"" he has got a 
 fine girl & M'^ Penn like to do well — his Son 
 is a lusty fellow he say's. I've not heard from 
 Francis these two months his family are re- 
 mov'd Ten miles into the Country from the 
 River — Side — They are obliged for y' friendly 
 invitation & shall know the Offer you make 
 whenever I can see, or tell E'm of it — If you 
 have a safe opportunity, you may send me 
 any Ac*' agst People here — such as I think 
 will, & can pay, lie try to recover. I shall 
 send the Coppy's of my letters ot Eng*^ in 
 a few days, & when I've given them a Month 
 Grace, He venture to pass my bills to take up 
 those '>y^ are here now, (they have not yet 
 increased thank God), and then too He direct 
 M^ Burn to take up Cruikshank's bill — Ive 
 wrote Battiere & Co. to take up Wickoff's 
 if neither Baynes & C° or T. M. have done 
 it for I wou'd not on any terms have it out 
 here again after the polite behaviour of D. 
 Roberts in send^ it home again — If Battiere 
 & C° pay it & I find T. M. has left funds— 
 I can then order them payment of so much 
 
70 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 from those funds wherever they may be found — 
 I am ever most truly & affectionately y"" friend 
 
 ••Tho^ Willing." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris." 
 "Phil^ April 3^ 1778. 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "This will be deliver 'd you by y' Old friend 
 Gen^ Lee, together with several letters I have 
 rec'd addressed to our late house; some of E'm 
 contain Accounts you ought to see — I wrote 
 you the 20th Ult° under cover of R. S. to his 
 Son John — I then sent you D. Smith's Ac* 
 & told you I had examined his books; the 
 claim he makes ag'* you, is £101.5.9 & wants 
 to play off ag^* the remain^ ball^ of £83 — 
 his demand ag'* Mr. Hancock — ^this I refused 
 to allow, because I never had anything to do 
 with M'. Hancock, & was not authorized to 
 pay or settle his debts — here or any where 
 Else — I doubt my getting anything from Smith 
 speedily but yet will try hard for it — Dugan 
 oferr'd me paper of w^ I have plenty now by 
 me that wont now pass but cant pay in any- 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 7 1 
 
 thing else — Rhoads says he has a demand ag^* 
 you to the full amo* of my claim — This is for 
 taxes & repairs at y"" Meadows on League Island 
 — M" Biddle has promis'd payment — Duchemin is 
 not able to pay — he's a bad Man & y* debt will 
 be lost — Fritz has long left town — John Duffield 
 has not the cash at present — & H. Lisle says 
 the same thing but will pay when able — Mark 
 Freeman proves the dem*^ to be a mistake — 
 22^ April /75 hep"^ Hogeland £791.11 the 
 28th April he rec'd bills £1550 — on the 6th 
 May he deliver' d up the rec^ for the first paym*. 
 & paying the ball^ of the 1550 — he took Hoge- 
 lands rec'^ for the whole sum in this last paym* 
 M"^ Hogeland made the mistake of 40/ hav^ 
 actually rec'd 758.9/ instead of the sum en- 
 tered. Jno. Hart is not here & M"" Knowles 
 in Gaol — the others Ive not yet seen — As to 
 Major Hay I'm told he is in the fleet Prison 
 at home — M. Batt is at Halifax. I expect very 
 little from either. Captain Chapman is not here or 
 
 Ide pay him — ^As to the two M"^ H n's I believe 
 
 they'l pay me nothing if they can put me off. 
 
 "I have p*^ Abby Willing £28.16/ Int^ due 
 her to 1st Sep* last — I have p'^ M' Green in 
 full on Ac* O. P. affairs £109.17.6 — 
 
72 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "You'l give me Credit for these Sums, & 
 charge me for those mentioned in my last — 
 Dr. Searle's bill is still here — cant you settle 
 it with Mr. Searle, & send me down his order 
 to Vandam to deliver up the bill. Cha^ Whar- {. 
 ton has got our bill on H. & C°. fav' Outh 
 out & Demunx £150 & Isaac Wharton a certified 
 Copy of the protest on the bill Fountain Elwin £300 
 — I've promis'd payment to both by next Packet 
 at w^ time He pay off Yeate's bill too. 
 
 "Let me know what's due to me from Morris 
 & Inglis of Jan^ the latter is just got back 
 there from Eng"^ & I should like to get what's 
 due to me thence, & as you have my Accounts 
 in y' books I am at a loss. And"^ McGlone 
 is out of his Senses & little able to pay — She 
 told me you had a Mortgage how is that Mat- 
 ter? If you have not, this debt is lost — April 
 4th. 
 
 "My letters are a sort of Diary — therefore 
 very unconnected but as I never write but 
 on mere business, its no matter — 
 
 "Let me know if you rec'd mine of 20th March 
 with Smith's Ac*^ & when you have Credited 
 him for his dem'^ ag^^ you send me down his 
 A''- or he'l keep me Months out of the ball* 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 73 
 
 under pretense of get^ it drawn out again; 
 he is an ungratefull— to you you've overlook'd 
 what I wrote you ab' Jos. Pemberton in 
 Feb^ last — after what you wrote me of a balP 
 due from Bewicke's I was surprised to see their 
 Ac' C* now sent you— I see they p"^ a bill of 
 Cruickshanks looo of 14th Sept' 1775, had 
 he two such bills one on Herries and one on 
 Em too? I've not heard from Spiers & C° 
 or of any other bills but those I've told you 
 off— If you get any news of Tom's hav^ p^ 
 any, pray tell me of it directly— I hope he 
 has not abused Us to any great extent. 
 
 "P. Barry used me very 111 & very ungrate- 
 fully—he did me great injury, & is too bad a 
 Man to deserve y"" protection or fav'. I must 
 not explain myself now — I never knew I had 
 any concern w^ M' Braxton; he used my Name 
 in a letter of his of May 1777, now published 
 at New York, & here too — we are also call'd 
 Owners of the Sea Nymph, taken & carried 
 into N. York, but this I know is false, be- 
 cause we never did own such a Vessell, and 
 I had no concern in such a Cargoe, as you will 
 know — but its injurious to me here to have 
 my Name used in this way— I wish I had a 
 
74 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Pipe of y' best London wine — I'm just out — 
 the want of hard Cash, indured me to sell 
 off all I had, as I told you before, & I begin 
 to count the bottle as its drawn — I wish for 
 nothing on Earth so much, as to see you here, 
 before the last I have goe's — God bless you 
 my dear friend — ^we are not surely parted 
 forever — I sent you part of my private stock 
 of garden seeds; none cou'd be bo* — M" Wood 
 carried part, & betsy to Grame Park also — 
 I now send you a few sugar loaf Cabbage & 
 Savoy's & of our friend Nixon's long Cucumbers, 
 w^ I'm told he used to admire, some onion, Sal- 
 mon redish Seed & some best Cantalope Melon's 
 — when you see him, give my Comp*' and the 
 same to all those you know I was, or am 
 still well with — for I can't forget old acquaint- 
 ance; tho' we are in different situations at present. 
 I've unbounded Charity for all — but of this no 
 more — My heart feels what my Pen can't express. 
 
 "Francis is well, & desires his best wishes, & 
 thanks for y' kind invit^ pray tell me what 
 route Jemmy took to get home, & whether you 
 have heard any thing ab* him since he left you — 
 
 "I Penrose I fear is swamped w^ his fr** T. 
 Powell of London, who it's said has failed; 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 75 
 
 & 200o£ St. in the former's debt — Ed. Mayne 
 write's in a Stile, w^ looks as tho': he ou't 
 be pleased with my ordering him payment of 
 only £500 w*" however, lie not exceed untill 
 you extend it — God grant we may be once 
 clear of all those people, & that the winding 
 up our English affairs, may answer y"" sanguine 
 expectations, when this is done I hope you'l 
 lodge something in Safe hands in some part of 
 Europe, but not in France, I never did like 
 those people — I've known more of them prove 
 rotten, than of any others, w*" the people of 
 this place were ever connected with — Holland 
 will be more desirable to me — I've a very large 
 family about me & flatter myself I shall after 
 all find something to feed Em with thro; 
 these expensive and very distressing times — 
 I doubt neither your friendship, abilities — Honor 
 or attention, in whatever concerns me, & draw 
 great comfort in knowing that what man can 
 do, you will do — 
 
 "My Sister, M'' Powell and Nancy, desire 
 their good wishes & best Comp*^ to you & 
 all under y"" roof. Adieu I am & ever shall be 
 "Most truly & affectionately 
 "Y" Tho^ Willing. 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
76 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "I wrote to C. W. some time ago — to Morris 
 & Ingles also, by M' J. Green. I've a consid- 
 erable Sum by me in old Paper rec'd before 
 the stagnation, but flatter myself it will be 
 again Current here before long — " 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Morris.^^ 
 
 "Philad"^ April 27TH, 1778 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "Yours of the 31st March I rec'd the 19th 
 Inst & that of the 29th March reach'd me 
 only yesterday — my time to answer them is 
 rather short but I shall say all I can; for writ^ 
 is something so like talk^ to a friend, that I 
 have a pleasure in doing it when you are the 
 object of my address — 
 
 "And first of all it's incumbent on me to 
 remove any 111 impressions you have rec'd 
 respect^ poor Wilson — he never gave me pain 
 ab* his Money, by even asking me for it, he 
 mentioned it very modestly, & before he heard 
 anything of our Bill affairs, & his information 
 arose rather out of what I said to him, than 
 from the least distrust on his part — he is very 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willitig Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. ']"J 
 
 much Our friend, & shew'd it evidently when 
 y* maUcious report came first here — he snub- 
 bed several chattering fellows & I'm sure wou'd 
 go as great lengths to serve you or me, as 
 any Man on Earth — he often spoke of you 
 with the greatest respect, & behaved to me 
 with attention — & friendship, at a time, when 
 such behaviour from an honest man, even in 
 his low sphere, cou'd give me comfort & pleas- 
 ure — If you can ever serve him, he deserves 
 it at y*" hands for his gratitude — hs, to M"" 
 Gibbs I believe you have been misinformed — 
 he is not in town, nor has he been here — I 
 beheve him to be, as you say "A good Man" 
 but yet both ought to be paid in proper Cur- 
 rency & it's well you wou'd take care of these 
 matters, had M' Gibbs been here a prisoner 
 I shou'd have paid him apart most chearfully 
 — I've deliver'd y^ Messages to M'^ Robertson, 
 & M'^ Green they are well — Robertson was 
 in Quebec the 24th Oct' last w^ his ship, was 
 bound home & to sail in 10 Days — I hope 
 you'l soon hear y^ O. P. has paid your Draft 
 on him — I wish to be clear of a Man who 
 cou'd act so base a part as he did as to poor 
 C. W. 
 
78 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "T. Penrose desires his best good wishes to 
 you — ^he is our friend & farr from doubt^ y*" 
 ability or inclination to settle all Matters prop- 
 erly — I told you before I believe y* he is like 
 to suffer w^ T. Powel in London — ^he thinks 
 at least 200o£ St^. I observe y"" answer as to 
 I. Burn & shall take care not to trespass on 
 him or any other man in England — I order'd 
 E. B. & Sons to remit him all my Money & 
 I've order'd him to pay E. Mayne £500 St^ 
 & to take up the bill in spiers French & Co' 
 hands if not done by T. M. — & if he has not 
 funds I've desir'd Mayne & Spiers to call on 
 Battier & C° the letters are yet in this River 
 — I've not yet drawn any bills on London 
 except one for a single £100 St^ on Pringle 
 & Cheap for a particular purpose & y* is not 
 gone out of my hands. Next month I shall 
 have bills on E'm for ab* 8oo£ St^ & have 
 advised them & Battier of it, when I see Rick- 
 ets & I Pemberton shall let you know what 
 they say — M" Moor shall know what you say 
 ab* her Deeds; at present she is at her house 
 in the Country — As to poor Tod — he says 
 'twill ruin him if you fail as to his claim, but he 
 thanks you for y*" promise of service, as to 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 79 
 
 the two Casks of Lond. Particular— I thot 
 when you sent me up those Casks unfilled, 
 you had taken two in like situation for y'self 
 & charg'd neither yourself or me for them — 
 I sold the whole, except one hhd, as you have 
 been advised. If I am right in any Idea of 
 the Matter, you shou'd not charge me for the 
 two mark'd. T. W. however; what you do, 
 will be right I'm sure in this & everything 
 else that concerns me — I wou'd not now have 
 E'm kept for me at any rate — I B'° wife went 
 down to see him at Notingham last week — 
 I'm glad to hear he is well & to find by his 
 own letter y* he was so kindly rec'd at Man- 
 heim — I never doubted this, but you knew 
 he must desire to get home if possible & was 
 therefore anxious for him — I hope y* neither 
 he or I have made One Good Man our Enemy 
 —When R. W. has paid off all my accounts 
 he'l probably send you what Money he may 
 have left. 
 
 ''As to Hero, I tried everyway to get him 
 to come to me; even y' old neighbor I. Bring- 
 hurst, spoke to him, but all in Vain— at least 
 I found out his home in Coomb's Alley, this 
 day; & such another DwelP for a human Creature 
 
80 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 I never saw — I don't believe there is one so 
 miserable in this City — I saw & talk'd long 
 with him, but all in vain — ^he says you were 
 a good Master, but he don't like the Country 
 & cannot consent to go out. I gave him every 
 assurance in my power; promis'd him cloaths 
 & every indulgence; but all in Vain. I then 
 told him the Consequences of a refusal — ^he 
 still persisted, knowing the advantage he had 
 over me — he is very 111 & can hardly speak 
 to be heard at a yard's distance — I suspect his 
 disorder is of such a Nature, that you'd not 
 be very safe to take him into y"" house at 
 present — ^he agreed to think longer of the mat- 
 ter & to let me see him soon again — If I can 
 do anjrthing by fair means I will — as to harsh 
 Methods they 'ont do at present for many 
 reasons — 
 
 "E. Story & W" Clifton have both promis'd 
 me their Act' with W. M. & C° the latter 
 say's You have had it once already; & by his man- 
 ner I conclude there is nothing due to him — 
 whatever there may be from him. Neither 
 Cap* Chapman or Batt are here — He keep 
 those Accounts by me, & so I must Cap* Innes 
 & Lieu* Lander, neither of them being in this 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. «I 
 
 place I believe. I wrote Cap* Adye & inclos'd 
 his Act but have yet rec'd no answer from 
 him. I Dougan offer'd me paper in paym\ & 
 said he had nothing else to pay with — I Duf- 
 field told me he has a demand for Demurrage 
 10 Days' of Capt. Amiels Vessell at Lisbon 
 w^ will over balP the Act that he tole you 
 often of this, & you promised to settle it with 
 him & he expected you'd allow it — He send for 
 T. Bramal & do all I can with him & all others 
 in the like situation, but I've not yet got one 
 penny from any of the Debts due Us — When 
 I see old Rob* Tombs He let him have the 
 money you desire — I have spent two hours 
 in Smith's room y^ mom^ in the re-examina- 
 tion of y"^ Account — he's very confused, very 
 Ignorant & stupid as to business of this sort, 
 & I don't think quite blameless in the pres- 
 ent Instance — The rec't is so blotted that no 
 one can tell the handwriting with any cer- 
 tainty; but by the cut of some letters I believe 
 it's wrote by the same Clerk who wrote others 
 in his books, there is neither Swan wicks or 
 M' Hogelands hand there I think — however 
 I've rec'd y' day Sixty pounds in part from 
 Smith & he promises to pay me the remain- 
 
82 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 ing ball^ as you settle it except the Interest for 
 the Negroe, who ttimed out sickly & drunken 
 — he sold him for £iio only w^ appears 
 from the Note he got for him, & y^ on Credit 
 too — I believe you must let him off without 
 Interest — he expresses great esteem for you 
 tho: I don't think he deserves much from you 
 indeed. I shall be able by fair means I hope 
 to get clear of him, & shall be very glad of 
 it, for he is a great fool & puts on a great 
 deal of consequences — ^he has got more money 
 than he ever expected — the Madura bill is 
 still in M' Humphries's hands — the Man who 
 left it there has never call'd or sent for it, 
 & Humphries don't know his name — I left 
 the anwser you desire about it, & hope you'l 
 take care to pay it off. As to Ann Meredith 
 I believe I was not wrong in the sum I've 
 paid her. If I was so, I was misled by the 
 Note w*" is all in y"" own writing, and was 
 the only rule I had to go by — inclos'd you 
 have an exact Copy of it & of the only rec't 
 on it's back — I believe the Error is in y' hav* 
 entered the Principal Sum £95 only on the 
 6th May 1772, & then calculated Int^ on that 
 Sum — in short you'l compare the Note I send 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 83 
 
 w*" the Act in y' books — if any Mistake Tie 
 get it back again — you'l give me Credit for 
 £4.3.6. p*^ Postages &c. to y^ day & £109.17.6. 
 the whole amo* of disbursements on Acts of 
 O. P. & £28, 16/?"^ Abby Willing Int^ due 
 to the 1st Sepf last. I believe I told you 
 of these in a letter you don't acknowledge 
 you'l also charge me £33.4/net proceeds of 
 two hhds. of damaged Tobacco belong^ to 
 my brother & you'l Credit the proper sale 
 for the same — I've not seen M^ Stansbury but 
 I don't expect he'l take the Sum you offer for 
 the bill as he seemed to me to expect a much 
 greater advance — I shall therefore give him 
 a draft on London next month. 
 
 "April 28th. W" Clifton has sent me his 
 A/C* & you now have it inclosed — M'' Ross 
 gave me last Week y"" letter of Credit, which 
 is sufficient; & you may depend on every as- 
 sistance I can give her in that and every other 
 way that may be usefull to her. I sent you 
 the 15th Inst, under the care of W" West of 
 Whitemarsh a blank cover cont^ a letter from 
 y' old acquaintance Gov"" Johnstone dated 5th 
 Feb^ last, «& also two letters from D. Stra- 
 chan & C° of Oct' 1776 & feb^ 1777 in these 
 
84 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 they make Us in their debt ab^ £409 St^ 
 I think. I hope y* Cover got safe. It's well 
 y"" friends packet by M'" Wood got safe — 
 Miss Stedman promis'd to send you the like 
 articles from Grame Park. I long to hear from 
 y brother or at least of him by means of M^ 
 Ross, & hope his conduct will be cleared up 
 more to his Credit than we apprehend it cou'd. 
 As to Battiers balP being paid E'm in a way 
 you had not learn't; perhaps they have taken 
 some such step as Messrs. Crawford did with 
 our Money in the hands of D. S. & C°. at 
 least what they meant to take — pray had they 
 any considerable demand, or what was the Cause 
 of their laying an Attachment on what they 
 tho* our property — surely these people have 
 forgot all former Confidence, or tho*" we were 
 going to the Devil headlong, but I hope they 
 will find Emselves greatly mistaken, & that 
 the time will come, when we shall resume our 
 former Countenance, & be able to look them 
 all in the face, but peace to them all! If I 
 cou'd but see your face once more, I shou'd 
 be more happy than ever I have been for some 
 months past — I take the liberty to send you 
 a few Garden Seeds; they are all I cou'd get 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 85 
 
 from a friend of mine, & he says they are 
 fresh & good. 
 
 "I don't recollect anything further on the Sub- 
 ject of business, and as we never write upon 
 Politicks, I must relieve you from this long 
 letter — I have much to say to you on my own 
 particular situation; but (bound in) better 
 let alone now — I hope still to be happy in 
 the esteem & friendship of the Man in the 
 World I love most, & for whom I have every 
 feeling of affection & regard. Adieu! & believe 
 me to be 
 
 "Y"^^ &c., 
 
 "Tho^ Willing. 
 "You see I have altered my mind as to the 
 wine; let your friend sell them again. 
 Rob"^ Morris Esq^ 
 
 Superscription — "To 
 
 ''Rob' Morris Esq' 
 "at Manheim 
 "Lancaster County." 
 
86 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Thomas Willing to Joseph Reed." 
 
 ''Philad^ October ist, 1779. 
 "Sir: 
 
 "My brother, Charles WilHng, has resided in 
 the Island of Barbadoes for many year's past, 
 when he went from this place, he left his two 
 children under the care of his mother. A weak- 
 ness in his nerves made a voyage to the North- 
 ward necessary, and a desire of taking home 
 his Daughters has induced him to come to 
 New York, where he now is, and requests per- 
 mission to come to Philad^ and to remain 
 here until the Spring, and then to return to 
 New York on his way to Barbadoes with his 
 Daughters. If this request is not too great, 
 I beg the favor of you to lay it before the 
 Hon^^^ Council as soon as it may be convenient, 
 and that the necessary Pass may be made 
 
 out. 
 
 "I have the honor to be Sir 
 
 Y^ ObHged and Obed' 
 
 hum Serv* 
 
 Thomas Willing. 
 
 ''His Excellency Jos. Reed Esq" 
 
 President of the Hon^^^ Executive Council." 
 
 ^^ From the Simon Gratz collection of manuscripts. 
 
willing letters and papers. 87 
 
 Thomas Willing of Philadelphia to 
 Mr. Ingles.^^ 
 
 "Phila Nov^. 13TH 1 78 1. 
 "Dear Sir: 
 
 "In expectation y* you are on y"" way up, 
 I shall lodge this at Baltimore, where you'l 
 please to inform y^'self if its worth while for 
 Us to send down any of the following Articles. 
 Tubs of Steel of ii2lb net — worth here 20 
 Dol" Ravens & Russia Duck 150/ to i6o/p 
 p^ Chints Callicoe & Brittanias, now selP at 
 2/9P Liv' Sattins, Paduasoy's, Sw^ silk. Nan- 
 keens Bandannoes, are sell^ at 3/ for 12^ St^ 
 cost. Cloths & Duffels 3/3P Liv^ If any 
 of these articles will answer better than here, 
 we have plenty — I've just got y*" Letters of 
 27*^ & 31'* Oct' and am not sorry to see 
 you are not like to plague y'^self with any 
 purchase at York you'l have your hands full 
 with Vessells of our own in all probability — 
 The two Brig' got to Maestrand the i'* & 
 3'^'^ Sept^ were unloaded by the 6th and wou'd 
 sail in all y* month full ships. — I hear nothing 
 from Kollock or of him but believe he'l have 
 
 ^^ Blackwell and Willing Letters {Wallace Papers Volume IV) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
88 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 no Vessell to come out with — I've Insured 
 16000 Liv". on Delaware 8c Cargoe at 30p C* & 
 the Hke Sum on each of the others at 25^p C\ 
 I mean 8000 on each Vess' & 8000 on each 
 Cargoe our A/ct. There's no Vess. offering 
 for Europe & I believe Tobacco will sell as 
 well here to the full — its got to 27/6 Maryland 
 .and 37/6 for Virg^ I've bo* as much as I 
 want for the Cutter before this great advance 
 in the price. 
 
 "No news yet of Wilson but as the cutter had 
 such continual westerly winds we are not yet 
 uneasy — I have the pleasure to tell you that 
 your little Girl is exceedingly well — y' Brother 
 George is at N. York & want^ to come here 
 which can't be allow'd at present but on such 
 terms as won't suit him perhaps — I've sold 
 off all our Tea 6/ to 6/3 the price is now 
 rising but on the first arrival twill be down 
 again — by the Papers you may see what hon- 
 ours you have arrived at, we want you here to 
 bear your part in this great undertaking of 
 the Bank — I am truly & very 
 
 "affectionately y' fr"^ 
 & Kinsman 
 
 "Tho^ Willing. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 89 
 
 "Exch" 5/9 to 6/p Liv' 
 
 "No news stirring here. Maryl^ Tobacco was 
 selP at Maestrand from 8 to lopi lb but 
 Virg* in more demand here. 
 M^ Inglis." 
 
 Thomas Willing to William Moore 
 President of the Supreme Executive 
 Council of Pennsylvania, the 9th 
 OF February, 1782.^^ 
 
 "Sir, — The President, Directors, and Company 
 of the Bank of North America, incorporated 
 by the United States, in Congress assembled, 
 have thought it proper to petition the General 
 Assembly for a similar charter, and such sup- 
 port from the government of the State, as 
 may render the bank capable of yielding those 
 advantages to the general cause of America 
 which are intended thereby; and this institu- 
 tion being encouraged and supported by cit- 
 izens of other States, as well as that in which 
 it happens to be established the most respectful 
 and proper mode of presenting the petition to 
 
 ^^ Lawrence Lewis Jr. A History of the Bank of North America, 
 Philadelphia, 1882, page 44. 
 
90 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 the Honorable House appearing to be through 
 the Supreme Executive Council of the State, 
 we have inclosed the same to you, and request 
 you to lay it before the General Assembly as soon 
 as they shall meet. I have the honor to be 
 "Your Excellency's most obedient servant, 
 Thomas Willing, President. 
 "His Excellency William Moore, Esq., President." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Robert Hare 
 AND William Bingham.^*' 
 "Gentlemen 
 
 "Having deliver'd you a coppy of my Uncle's 
 will & two Codicills — & also a letter to Cap* 
 Stirling & M' Warren the two acting Exec- 
 utors, I must desire you will at leisure read 
 over the whole, & then deliver the letter to 
 either or both of those Gentlemen — you'l also 
 converse w^ them on this Subject & inform 
 yourselves whether anything, & how much, is 
 coming to me a residuary Legatee, after all 
 the abuse I have evidently suffered by the 
 
 interposition of Geo: Hand — you'l also inform 
 yourselves of the ages & health of the Annui- 
 tants, who take before me the Long bank an- 
 nuity, & what may be the value of my Ex- 
 
 ^° Volvune of Swifi and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania, 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 9I 
 
 pectancy, if I shou'd incline to sell it next 
 Spring — you'l further enquire respect^ the small 
 Estate I have mentioned in my Letter to the 
 Executors, & where the deeds for it now are — 
 If my Uncle did actually renew the Leases, 
 & the right is vested in me as he meant it 
 shou'd be when he spoke of the matter to M*^ 
 Francis, I hope you'l take Care to get the 
 deeds & lodge them with M' Warren or other 
 safe hands for my security. 
 
 "If you shou'd on enquiry think it advisable 
 for me to sell the Annuity or there is anything 
 to be received as residuary Legatee — some 
 power of Attorney will be necessary for me 
 execute to you perhaps to get the thing com- 
 pleted. If so please to send me out the proper 
 form for each Case to prevent any delay — 
 
 "I need not say how much I wish your health 
 & safe arrival, it is a wish of all others nearest 
 the heart of your affectionate friend 
 
 Tho^ Willing 
 "Phil" May 8th 1783" 
 Superscription 
 ''Mess"' Rob' Hare 
 
 & 
 Wm. Bingham 
 
 ''London'' 
 
92 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Thomas Willing to Sir Walter Stirling 
 AND Peter Warren in London.^^ 
 
 "Philad^ May 25th 1783 
 "Gentlemen — 
 
 "The late unhappy Contest between G* Britain 
 & America, has prevented my addressing you 
 long ago, respecting the affairs of my Uncle's 
 Estate — I make no doubt the whole has been 
 closed before this time, and that you wou'd 
 have furnished me with a state thereof, had 
 the communication been free and open as be- 
 fore — 
 
 "As the residuary Legatee to so near a re- 
 lation and so warm a friend, dying possessed 
 of a considerable Estate, it's very natural for 
 me to suppose that he meant to comply with 
 his former declarations, and to leave me some- 
 thing more than base words, or a distant Ex- 
 pectancy; that this was actually the case in 
 his first will, I am well assured of and cannot 
 doubt he was a Man of his word; his promises 
 were never made in vain; but it was my great 
 misfortune, that when my Uncle was extremely 
 weak, deranged in his understanding, if not 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 93 
 
 quite unable to judge for himself, this Will 
 was put into the hands of an artfull, self in- 
 terested Man, to manufacture at his own dis- 
 cretion, by this means the Testators declared 
 & benevolent intentions toward me were per- 
 verted and led, basely led, into a channel, which 
 he never intended; at least so farr as G. H. and 
 his family were benefited by the alterations 
 of the old will, & the Codicils of this truth, 
 M' Warren, who I believe to have been the 
 worthy and confidential friend of my Uncle 
 must be fully persuaded he must have known 
 the terms he had long ago been upon with all of 
 that family, except his Sister, he respected none 
 of them. 
 
 **I shou'd not again have touched on this 
 subject but my nephew Charles Stirling told 
 me when he was here in 1781, that you were 
 all satisfied of the gross abuse; and manifest 
 injustice done me, in the Codicils particularly 
 and that you were fully convinced too, by 
 whom it was done, & that my suspicions 
 had not been, as you once tho* them to be, 
 "entirely groundless" — ^however! there is now 
 no help for it. The time is past for remedy; 
 the Will, & Codicils too, have all been proved 
 
94 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 and I must put up with the abuse, and the 
 loss I have sustained. I shall make no further 
 reflections! I have now, on my part, done 
 with the subject, & hope that our correspon- 
 dence in future, may be more agreeable to 
 all parties — 
 
 "As to you Gentlemen, I have never enter- 
 tained the least doubt, but that you have and 
 will ever do me justice in every particular, as 
 the acting Executors of the Will of your de- 
 ceased friend, and that you will give me the 
 necessary Information respecting this business. 
 
 "My brother in Law M"" Rob* Hare, or my 
 Son in Law M' W" Bingham will deliver you 
 this letter; and as I have desired them to in- 
 form me the Value of my expectancy on the 
 Long annuity were it now to be sold, you 
 will please to give them any information you 
 can on this head, and generally communi- 
 cate anything that may be necessary for me 
 to know, or to do, as residuary Legatee or to 
 secure the payment of the Annuity at a future 
 day to myself or to my Children, if the Re- 
 version shou'd not be sooner sold by me — M' 
 Francis was told by my Uncle that there was 
 a small Estate in the family of ab* £24 per 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 95 
 
 annum, which had been in it many years, & 
 w^ after his death wou'd descend to me — I 
 suppose he meant a place call'd Tockington 
 in Gloucestershire— please to say what you 
 know of this Estate; where the deeds for it 
 are, what's it's value, & whether there is any 
 reason why the deeds shou'd not be deliver'd 
 up to you as Executors— I know not the nature 
 of the Estate, as M' Francis don't recollect 
 particularly— only y* my Uncle said it had 
 been a great number of years in the family, 
 & that he wou'd renew the Leases in my be- 
 half— 
 
 "You will please to excuse this trouble and 
 believe me to be Gentlemen with respect & 
 esteem 
 
 "Y^ Most Obed* hum. Serv* 
 Tho^ Willing 
 
 "Sir Walter Stirling 
 
 & 
 M' Peter Warren 
 
 two of the Executors of 
 Tho^ Willing Esq^ late 
 of London deceased." 
 
96 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Tho® Willing to— ^^ 
 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "You had left the Cape a full week, before 
 the Pilot bro* me your letter, & y* from my 
 dearest daughter — It gave me great pleasure 
 to find by her letter, y* She was like to make 
 so good a Sailor, & y* She had got over her 
 terror & Seasickness so far as to be able to 
 write correctly & free from tremor, we have 
 heard of M*" Vaughn's arrival in London in 
 66 days after his departure. God grant that 
 I may be so happy as to hear of the arrival 
 of my best beloved friends in as short a space, 
 poor Peggy paid the roast I find by M*" Hares 
 letter — however as she cast up her accounts so 
 soon, I hope she farred the better afterwards, 
 & that her anxiety for her little boy, was soon 
 removed, by his recovery. We are all well 
 & nothing new since your departure except 
 the daily arrival of five or six Vessells; they 
 pour in from every quarter, no Sale for any- 
 thing except English goods of particular kinds — 
 Nixon & Lewis were chosen in Directors by 
 
 '^ Volume of Swijt and Willing Letters {Batch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 97 
 
 every Vote but two — our dividend will be 6>^ 
 if not 7 pet. for the present Six Mo^ — Carter 
 has now no Shares and they go off fast — 
 M"" Inglis was in treaty with Mr. Whiteside 
 for 400 hhd^ Tobacco, but he wou'd not give 
 40/ therefore no bargain. S. I. will tell you 
 how the load^ goes on at Baltimore, as he has 
 taken up that Correspondence — the price is 
 rising in Virginia & is only 36/ at Baltimore 
 at present, but as Vessels are get^ in there 
 very fast it will probably get up to our price 
 before long — Tell M*" Hare that Warren arriv'd 
 here from Bristol yesterday and call'd at my 
 house y* day I did not see him. I hear he 
 has bro* over a Cargoe of beer Porter &c. 
 our Market is glutted, M' Twells says with 
 these articles, & y* there is little Sale for them. 
 M"" Twells has rec'd the Wine & Isingglass 
 from L'Orient & from Holland too, & desires 
 M'' Hare may be told y* everything goes on 
 very well here — he's a clever Man I think, 
 & I believe M*" Hare may make himself easy 
 about his Management — Charles has not taken 
 his passage, but shall go to M' Gilmore in the 
 first good Vessell for Amsterdam; & of this 
 I beg you will advise M"" Gilmore — farewell 
 
98 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 my dear Sir, give little Nan a kiss for me 
 & don't forget her Mamma too — tell Peggy y* 
 the family are coming in to sit down with a 
 p"" of beef, with bacon & Windsor beans — I 
 shou'd be happy to help her to a part — She's 
 so honest a Soul, y^ she'd do justice to the 
 joint I am sure — God bless you all, take Care 
 of yourself & all the party, & believe me to 
 be with great truth, your affectionate friend 
 
 Tho^ Willing. 
 
 "Sunday June 22^ 1783. 
 
 "I saw y^ Sister drive by in a Gust of rain 
 last Even^ from Bethlehem — I hear they are 
 all well in Pine Street." 
 
 From Thomas Willing to — ^^ 
 
 "Phila. Oct. 20th 1783 
 "Dear Sir 
 
 "I wrote you a long letter by Cap* Aull, 
 who I am told is still in the River — ^however, 
 I can't let Cap* Truxton go off without telP 
 you and my dear daughter that we are all 
 perfectly well at this later day — your tobacco 
 affairs are just as they then were, except that 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 99 
 
 Cap' Lockton arriv'd three days ago w'' 105 
 hhd' from Wiccommocoe on the Eastern shore 
 of Maryl^ He tells me it's three year's old, 
 has Stood on the bare ground & in the worst 
 order he ever saw any; much of it is quite 
 rotten it wou'd not sell there, & oiu- lost friend 
 M-" Inglis, sent his Brig' around to bring it, 
 as the only chance there was for you to get 
 anything— not one hhd of y^ tobacco has, or 
 cou'd possibly be sold at the Warehouses; & 
 here the Sale is dull indeed. we have now 
 here ab' 300 hhd' & no purchaser that I can 
 find for a single One— I expect to learn from 
 W" Young y' he has collected & sold what 
 he cou'd get at in Virginia; but in the mean 
 while I am press'd to discharge the two notes 
 you left in Bank— it's absolutely necessary 
 they shou'd be soon paid off — we really want 
 it & it's considered as a trespass— I told you 
 y' M*- Inglis before his death had p"^ me 6000 
 D^' towards pay^ for the 17 Shares you left 
 unpaid for & y' he had paid M^ Lewis 8000 
 in part of y-" Note to the latter— I tho' it 
 wrong in M'' Lewis to take it out M^ Inglis's 
 hands, & told him yesterday he ought to re- 
 place it to enable me to take up the Note 
 
100 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 you left in Bank; but this I see clearly he 
 don't mean to do, & I am determined this 
 105 hhd^ now come shan't go into his hands, 
 but be sold or ship'd to Holland, if too bad 
 to sell here & we'l draw on M' Gilmore for 
 it's value — Money I must soon have or be 
 forced either to sell part of y^ Stock or draw 
 on you to pay into the Bank whats wanted 
 there — You have been grosly abused in the 
 purchase of several parcels of the Maryland 
 tobacco — no person would even touch it at 
 the warehouses after they saw it, & some y* 
 has come here, was absolutely not worth the 
 Expense of bringing it up — you may depend 
 that we shall never be able to pay two third 
 of the Notes in Bank by any Sale we can or 
 have made, or by draw^ for any we may ship. 
 My Interest shall be used to keep all quiet 
 untill you can give me advice whether to sell 
 off part of the Stock or draw on you or M^ 
 Gilmore to enable me to pay the balP^ The 
 Export of Silver for Europe has made it neces- 
 sary to curtail our discounts, & to call in our 
 debts — M*" Lewis has ab* 170 hhd' in his 
 possession but can't sell one — M"^ Swanwick 
 & he, will both push off all they can but a 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. lOI 
 
 sale can't be forced when the Commodity is 
 so very bad— those Men on James River have 
 used you 111 and those at Georgetown to whom 
 M"- Russell sold ab* 50 or 60 hhd^ & to be 
 p^ in August last, now say they can't pay 
 before next May— M^ Inglis had paid before 
 his death all he had sold or received, so that 
 my prospect is truly a disagreeable One as to 
 the discharge of y^ two Notes of 30000 & 
 8,000. 
 
 "By poor Sam's death our late partnership 
 IS at an end; a new one commences under 
 the firm of Will & Swanwick— by this event 
 our articles w*^ M' Gilmore are also void & 
 R. M. & M^ Swanwick decline to have any 
 further concern in that house, Therefore M^ 
 Morris will write to M^ Gilmore immediately 
 on this Subject & perhaps make some new 
 proposal to him that may be mutually bene- 
 ficial—for certainly we can't expect M"" Inglis's 
 Executors; who are M""^ Inglis, W" McKensie, 
 Sam: Cadwalader & M' W'" Ronald of Virginia,' 
 to continue any part of his little Estate further 
 at risque— you will also decline every concern, 
 if any, you & Sam had in contemplation. We 
 shall have enough to do, to settle old affairs. 
 
102 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 M^ Inglis's death was a shock to me, & his 
 own family; no one had the least suspicion of 
 any danger — I am so very much engrossed 
 where you left me, by the very great increase 
 of business; that I have never spent half an 
 hour out of the bank since you left me; & 
 our hours are extended from 9 to one & from 
 3 to 6 in the Even^ & little time enough too — 
 II must soon quit or I shall be hurt every 
 way — The stock has got to 12^ if not 15 
 pet. advance, but few only will sell — ^we shall 
 soon be compelled to enlarge the Subscription — 
 Abby has taken great pains to send my dear- 
 est Nancy a Cask of our own Apples — She went 
 up to Tackony, engaged them in a perfect 
 scramble, sent up next day for them, & has 
 at last got them on board — Cap^ Truxton be- 
 haved kindly indeed, & insisted y^ he wou'd 
 have the pleasure to carry them — Nancy is 
 his very great favorite — he speaks of her to 
 every one in raptures — pray give my best & 
 affectionate love & blessing to her — I long 
 to know that She is relieved of her burthen, 
 & in perfect health & happiness — don't fail a 
 Conveyance any how to tell me how you both 
 are, & the Moment she is Safe in her bed, tell 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. IO3 
 
 me of it — Remember me to my dear Sister & 
 to poor Hare — I wish to know that he is well, 
 & y* I may once more be certain of seeing 
 him again — y*^ Mother came here yesterday 
 to sign our firm book — I secured 6 Share's 
 for the Old Lady, in the hurry on the 25 July 
 last — She's much pleased indeed at it — Hannah 
 is in a very 111 State of health — She'l not be 
 long for this world I'm sure — the room has 
 this moment 30 People in it, & I can only 
 say y* Francis has got the gout & I am heart- 
 ily tired. 6 o'clock. 
 ''Adieu 
 
 "I am ever 
 
 "Y" most affectionately 
 '*Tho^ Willing." 
 Onback — "Exchange is now at 70 to 72^ pet." 
 
 Thomas Willing to William Bingham^^ 
 
 "Phil^. Nov^. 29TH 1783. 
 ''My Dear Sir: 
 
 "I never got y^^ of 27th August from Am- 
 
 sterd"" untill the 24th Inst. & the former one 
 
 you mention respect^ 50 Shares of stock has 
 
 ^* Provincial Delegates, Volume V. in the Historical Society of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
104 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 not yet reached me — If it had you will have 
 seen by mine dated in Aug^' that nothing 
 cou'd have been done more than I did w*" was 
 to take up & pay for the 17 left by you — 
 these you cou'd not have saved thro' any 
 other person but myself — I did not obtain a 
 single one for my own share — and it has been 
 with great difficulty I have kept y"" largest 
 Note on Interest here rather than draw 
 on you for it — You'l have seen by M*" Lewis' 
 & Mr. Swanwick's letters the reasons why 
 no Cash has been p*^ me to take up the 
 above Note — I hope to get from Nm. ab* 
 1 0000 D'' in a few days out of some of y"" 
 Tobacco now in M"". Lewis's hands — I have 
 never meddled in the sales shipments or direc- 
 tion of the Tobacco business further than 
 to whet them up to do all they cou'd do for 
 y' best Int. Poor Sam, did all he cou'd but 
 was taken off so very suddenly y^ he cou'd 
 give no account respect^ it — ^he often told me of 
 the bad quality & condition it was generally 
 in & the difficulty he was under ab* it — what's 
 in Virg^ must be shipped & drawn for & the 
 ball* after all I shall be forced to draw on 
 you as you may direct — I will keep off if pos- 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. IO5 
 
 sible untill you can write me in answer to 
 this — you are deceive in y^ expectations y^ 
 y* the tobacco here, will pay the note of 30000 
 — remembering that I have already p"^ 6000 for 
 Stock 8000 to M^ Lewis & also p^ off y' 
 Note in Bank for 8000 we have determined 
 to lay before the C° in January a plan for 
 enlarging the Stock of the Bank & I now send 
 you the plan w^ is unanimously agreed to by 
 the Directors & w*" I believe will be confirmed 
 so y* you'l be excluded as well as myself from 
 any more shares before the i'^ August next — 
 unless you get some other person to act for 
 you in the Matter — we are going on better 
 than you can believe & I shall be forced to 
 stay another year to close this second Sub- 
 scription — the confinement is great, but I have 
 the best of all rewards, the general voice & 
 approbation — Our dividend will be 6^4 or more 
 in Jan""^ next. I thank you for your tho* 
 of my Son Charles but alas, he is not fit to 
 be trusted in Amsterdam. I must send him 
 to sea to break the neck of a set of bad Com- 
 pany & other 111 consequences of his stay here — 
 I thank Mr. Gilmore & I thank you on his 
 Subject. I wish I cou'd thank him for any 
 
I06 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 comfort, but he has almost rob'd me of mine — 
 he's an Idle boy — Peter's keeps in the Country 
 when I can, I will see him, and buy the Lot 
 if I can at any reasonable price. 
 
 "I sent your tea Urn or Kettle, by the Phil* 
 Cap* Towers to Amsterdam & referr'd M^ 
 G. to you for further Orders — I p"^ a weding 
 visit yesterday to y sister — She is the wife 
 of M'. Blackwell, to the surprise & dissatis- 
 faction too of very many — She begs her love 
 to you, & y* you'l excuse her not writing by 
 this Vessell — She has reserved all her Estate, 
 real & personal too by an act of settlement 
 by V" she can by will, dispose of both as she 
 pleases, not only what she now has, but any 
 reversion after her Mother's death also — I'm 
 sorry for this Event 'twas foolish & somewhat 
 Indelicate too — I don't think her health was 
 in a state to justify such an engagement — 
 She can't live long I verily believe New York 
 is our own at last — ^All the world are driving 
 there — The Congress are getting together at 
 Annapolis — they are not a little dissatisfied 
 with what they have done — ^but don't know 
 how to get clear of the embarrassment — they'l 
 come back hereafter to the old stations; I verily 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. I07 
 
 believe they will & that sooner than you may 
 expect. 
 
 **I rejoice at the favourable expectations you 
 seem to have form'd of the Establishment at 
 Amsterdam; I wish M' Gilmore every degree 
 of Success — & I wish you may have resolved 
 to keep the concern with him — ^but in my cir- 
 cumstances, it don't suit me — without the con- 
 currence of R. M. & M^ Swanwick, its impos- 
 sible for em to hold it, and they are both avers 
 to keeping it up — I think myself the resolu- 
 tion right, now y*" a peace has taken place 
 which will furnish our acting partner with em- 
 ployment enough — all I am anxious ab* is 
 least M^ Gilmore may suffer any inconveni- 
 ence by the removal he has made — 
 
 "I shall wait with great impatience to know 
 y* my dear Nancy is well out of her Laying 
 in & also that her Children & you are all 
 well — pray give my best love to her, to M' 
 Hare & my dear sister — excuse my writing — 
 I have strained my Thumb, & write in some 
 pain & with much trouble — I'm in the Bank 
 where we are really crowded with business 
 now & every hour in the day — Our transac- 
 tions are on a medium 280 entries per day and 
 
I08 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 1 000000 to 1200000 per week our open Ac*^ 
 above 700 — 
 
 "God bless you and all about you and believe 
 me to be affectionately y'^'. T. W. 
 
 "M^ Stevenson presents an Ac* of his brother's 
 demand^ 1700 Eustatia Dollars & In* ab* 
 2^ years mak^ above 2000 D'' in all — I've 
 offer'd to pay him the principal sum, at w^ 
 he is dissatisfied — pray tell me if I must allow 
 the Int. or not M' Lewis seems to think its 
 right to pay him. Let M'. Hare know y* 
 M'. Twells is just gone out of the Bank — ^he 
 is perfectly well and get^ Barley at 5/6 to 
 5/8— plenty. 
 
 Superscription — " W"" Bingham Esq'' 
 
 * * Bloomsburg Square. ' ' 
 
 Thomas Willing i2th May, 1785, to 
 James Wilson.^^ 
 
 "As to the business of the bank the whole 
 must be left to your prudence to take such 
 steps in Congress as the magnitude of the 
 question and the complexion of that body may 
 render necessary and proper. "Fiat justitia 
 
 ^^ Lawrence Lewis, Jr.: A History of the Bank of North America, 
 Philadelphia, 1882, page 63. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. IO9 
 
 et contentus sum." With the Assembly the 
 word is "Carthago est delenda," let the Congress 
 judge for what end or purpose, and let them 
 consider too that when this political child of 
 theirs has once breathed its last, they have 
 no Promethean power to call another into ex- 
 istence; confidence once lost is not often, if 
 ever, to be regained. This is, perhaps, the 
 only instance where a politic body has been 
 annihilated, and private interest and property 
 violated, without the least charge of abuse of 
 power or malpractice suggested, much less 
 proved before a jury of twelve men. In the 
 present case not only the Constitution of the 
 State is violated, but the Confederation of all 
 the States is also violated, and a stab — a mor- 
 tal stab — is given to the honor of Congress 
 and the credit of all America. We have served 
 our country, and served her in the worst of 
 times, when our present opposers gave no 
 assistance to the means of doing it. Let them 
 consider this, and blush at the return they 
 are now making. Let the Congress, too, con- 
 sider this, and then determine whether they 
 ought not to exert their influence with every 
 State to support an institution to which they 
 
no WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 have given an existence, and from which they 
 have received a dutiful return. I have devoted 
 a large portion of my time, and, considering 
 the period of my life, a very precious part 
 of it, too, to the service of my country in the 
 establishment of the bank, but it is my pride, 
 it is my greatest glory, that it has thus far 
 succeeded. To preserve it from destruction, 
 and to further our public measures, I would 
 still go further, I would devote the few re- 
 maining years I have in its service rather than 
 it should fall a sacrifice to the delusion of party, 
 or to the insidious designs of Tories and British 
 emissaries. God grant that this may not be 
 the case. To prevent it, I conjure you, by 
 every tie you have to the institution of which 
 you were an early protector, by every tie you 
 have to the country you live in, to exert every 
 nerve in its defense." 
 
 Thomas Willing to William Bingham.^^ 
 
 "August the 29TH 1785. 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "I thank you & my dear daughter for your 
 
 letters by the Belfield; She arrv'd safe the 
 
 1 6th inst, and all our friends in good health — 
 
 ^® From the Emmet manuscripts in the New York Public Library 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. Ill 
 
 the accounts they give of you and yr. family 
 are highly pleasing to me, who am so deeply 
 interested in your happiness & welfare — It 
 was very natural for Nancy to wish to gratify 
 her curiosity fully, by staying another year — 
 She had cross'd the Ocean already, & had an 
 indulgent friend in you, ready and able to 
 gratify her — I am contented; & the more so, 
 as my state of health is good and I've as fair 
 a chance as ever of living to see her, shou'd 
 your return be delayed till next year. 
 
 "I find from Mr. Hare y\ you were going 
 to France to settle the business w^ Mr. Mar- 
 bois had in hand here — I wish you had taken 
 care of some claims W" Mon. T. Sargenton & 
 Mr. Delacombe had against you at Martinico — 
 The latter has brot. suit, & you are summoned 
 to appear there the 27th Septr. next, as you'l 
 see by the papers I send you inclosed — you 
 have a coppy of my answer y^day to Sargen- 
 ton fils at Baltimore — I don't know the foun- 
 dation of the Action brot. by the Owners of 
 the Rattle Snake, they have not yet filed their 
 declaration, & the Summon's is generally to 
 answer in a plea of debt — ^it will, I believe, be put 
 off till April term next — Wilson is y'. lawyer. 
 
112 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Our Assembly is sitting — They have attack'd 
 us with all the violence of party rage — ^but 
 I believe they'l drop the attack before the 
 end of the Session. You have a pamphlet 
 enclos'd, wrote by Ja". Wilson — This, is wrote 
 solely for Congress & the Assembly — other 
 Fugitive & Weekly pieces, will directly follow, 
 to suit the people at large — I don't despair, 
 altho this, & the other attempts we have with- 
 stood have cost me much trouble & pain of 
 mind — I shall soon write you again & probably 
 may send your Act with me as yr. Attorney — 
 its now abt. a ballance — I have not time to 
 say more than that. I am ever most affec- 
 tion your's — . 
 
 "Tho^ Willing. 
 
 "Give my best love to Nancy & her dear little 
 ones. We are all perfectly well — 
 
 "August the 30TH 
 
 "Our last dividend was 3 pet paid to M. 
 Lewis & Co. for your use — as was also the 
 year's Ints. on y^ loan Office Certificates abt. 
 4000 Dollars, for w^ he gives you credit as 
 so much specie hav^ paid it as such to the 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. II 3 
 
 Impost Office — I expect another payment this 
 fall on those Certificates — this is sad letter 
 writing, I am interrupted every minute — I 
 had good luck in turn^ the last years paper 
 & this last payment into Specie; the disc* 
 on it now, is 7>^ to lo pet. I have piled up 
 abt. 50,000 feet of as fine boards as I ever 
 saw. I stop'd buying because the price was 
 so high, as £8 for one inch, & £15 for i^ 
 do. for floors — You have enclosed all y' Acts, 
 with me to this day for your Inspection — 
 
 "Wm. Bingham, Esq." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Benjamin Franklin." 
 
 "To His Excellency Benjamin Franklin 
 Esquire, President of the Supreme Exec- 
 utive Council of the Commonwealth of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 "The Petition of Thomas Willing President 
 of the Bank of North America Most respect- 
 full sheweth, That Joshua Pusey late of the 
 City of Philadelphia merchant and Miller us- 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters {Batch Papers) in the His- 
 torical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
114 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 ing and exercising the Trade of a Merchant 
 and Miller and seeking his living by buying 
 and selling became indebted to the Corpora- 
 tion of the President Directors and Company 
 of the Bank of North America upon just and 
 good Causes and Considerations since the six- 
 teenth day of September in the Year One Thou- 
 sand Seven hundred and eighty five in the Sum 
 of two hundred Pounds lawful money of Penn- 
 sylvania and upwards, and that the said Joshua 
 Pusey of late that is to say about the thirtieth 
 day of June last past did become Bankrupt 
 within the Meaning of the Acts of the General 
 Assembly of this Commonwealth for the Regu- 
 lation of Bankruptcy, to the Intent to defraud 
 and hinder the said President, Directors and 
 Company, and other his Creditors of their 
 just debts to them owing: In Consideration 
 whereof may it please the President to grant 
 unto the Petitioner the Commission of this 
 Commonwealth to be directed to such and so 
 many wise honest and discreet Persons as to the 
 President shall seem meet, authorizing them 
 thereby not only concerning the said Bankrupt 
 his Body, Lands, Tenements, Goods, Chattels, 
 Rights, Credits and Estate whatsoever, but 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. II5 
 
 also concerning all other Persons whatsoever, 
 who by concealment, Claim or otherwise do 
 or shall offend touching the Premises or any 
 part thereof contrary to the true Intent and 
 Meaning of the said Acts. To do and execute 
 all and everything and things whatsoever as 
 well for and towards Satisfaction and Payment 
 of the said Creditors as for and towards all 
 other Intents and purposes according to the 
 Provision of the said Acts concerning Bank- 
 rupts. 
 
 **And your Petitioner as in duty bound will 
 pray &c. 
 
 "Tho^ Willing." 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS WILLING. 
 "Philadelphia, Feby the 4th, 1786. 
 "I, Thomas Willing of the city of Philadel- 
 phia, Merchant, in the fifty-fifth year of my 
 age, and thro' the favour of God, in perfect 
 health and strength, which I consider as an 
 ample reward for a life of Sobriety and Tem- 
 perance, do hereby transmit to my Posterity, 
 for their satisfaction and information, the follow- 
 ing account of the family and stock from which 
 
Il6 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 I am descended, and which I believe to be 
 authentic, having collected the same from old 
 family Bibles and such other authorities as I 
 believe to be true. 
 
 "Joseph Willing of Gloucestershire, the first of 
 the name of Willing, of whom I have any writ- 
 ten account, married Elizabeth Plaver in the 
 year 1672. She died in 1675, leaving him two 
 sons George and Joseph, one born in 1673, the 
 other in 1675. The said Joseph the elder, mar- 
 ried his second wife Ava Lowle, in the year 
 1676, by whom he had issue, Martha in 1677, 
 Mary in 1678, Thomas born January i6th, 
 1679-80; Richard in 1681, James in 1683, and 
 Samuel born in 1688. His daughter Mary, 
 married Stephen Burcombe on Monmouth. She 
 had a daughter called Anne, who said in my 
 hearing when in Bristol to my Grandfather 
 Thomas Willing, that her Grandfather Joseph 
 was a Welshman, and that the family name was 
 now spelt differently from what it used formerly 
 to be. Thus far, the material parts, are taken 
 from an old family Bible printed in the year 
 1 614, and the Genealogical account is in the 
 handwriting of my Great Grandfather Joseph, 
 whose family was originally from Wales. He, 
 
WILLI>fG LETTERS AND PAPERS. II7 
 
 himself, was a Farmer, settled in Gloucestershire 
 near Bristol. 
 
 "Ava Lowle his wife and my Great Grand- 
 mother, had a good estate in Gloucestershire, 
 which had descended to her thro' several gen- 
 erations from her Saxon ancestors. A small 
 part of it, at Tochington in the said county, 
 which rents for about £27 per ann., is settled 
 on the family, and after the death of my Aunt 
 Anne Willing, will descend to me. The deeds 
 are I am told in the hands of my Aunt Dorothy 
 Hand at Litchfield. This old family Bible was 
 presented me, by Mary Syme Willing now living 
 at Temple -Cloud, in Somersetshire. It was 
 brought from England last summer, by my sis- 
 ter Margaret Hare. The said Mary Syme Wil- 
 ling is the only surviving child of Richard, the 
 second son of Joseph by the second venture. 
 
 "Thomas Willing, my Grandfather, was eldest 
 son of Joseph by Ava Lowle. In the year 1704, 
 he married Anne Harrison, a woman of fine 
 genius, good education, and excellent under- 
 standing, who brought him a. very considerable 
 fortune. She was Granddaughter to Thomas Har- 
 rison a Lawyer of the Inns Court, Major- 
 General in Cromwell's time, and a member of 
 
Il8 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 the Long Parliament; and also Granddaughter 
 by the Mother's side of Simon Mayne a Gen- 
 tleman of Lincolnshire; both members of the 
 court which condemned Charles the First, and 
 principal actors in Cromwell's time (see Ludlow's 
 Memoirs and State trials. Vol. 2d). By her, 
 he had issue, Charles, Dorothy, Mary, Blanch, 
 Anne and Thomas who died in the year 1772 
 at Longford in Middlesex. He had been a Mer- 
 chant in London, one of the Directors of the 
 African Company, a man of abilities, sound 
 understanding, and fair character. He came t^ 
 Philadelphia with my Father in the year 1742, 
 and returned to England in two or three years. 
 
 "The first of the family who came to America 
 was my great uncle Richard Willing, about the 
 year 17 10. He soon returned to Bristol, where 
 he married and died. He was buried in the 
 Mayor's Chapel, College Green. 
 
 "Thomas Willing, my Grandfather, came to 
 Philadelphia in 1720, went back to England in 
 1725, and returned again about 1728, at which 
 time he brought his eldest son Charles, my 
 Father, whom he left in Philadelphia, and soon 
 went back again to Bristol, where he died in 
 1760, in the eighty-first year of his age, leaving 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 19 
 
 behind him the character of an able and re- 
 spectable Merchant, and a very honest, worthy 
 man. He is buried in St. Michael's Church- 
 yard in Bristol, under the tomb he had erected 
 for my beloved and much honoured Grandmother 
 with whom I had lived seven years, and from whom 
 I had experienced the greatest tenderness during my 
 infant years. She died the nth of September, 1747. 
 
 "The Town of Wilmington, recently called Wil- 
 ling 's town, in the Delaware State, was laid out 
 and considerably improved by Thomas Willing — 
 a kinsman of my Grandfather's, by one of his 
 half brothers George or Joseph. He came over 
 from England, with my Grandfather, and mar- 
 ried a Sweedish woman, by whom he got the 
 tract of land on which that Town now stands. 
 His descendants are all dead. 
 
 "Charles Willing, my much beloved and hon- 
 oured Father, was bom in Bristol the i8th of 
 May, 1 7 10, and on the 21st of January 1 730-1, 
 he married Anne Shippen, only daughter then 
 living of Joseph Shippen, and Granddaughter of 
 Edward Shippen of Philadelphia, who was one 
 of the Council in 1701, and one of the Com- 
 missioners of Property for the Proprietors of 
 Pennsylvania, and the first Mayor of Philadel- 
 
120 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 phia. He left one of the best estates then in 
 the Province, having brought into it at his first 
 coming at least £12,000 sterling personal estate. 
 He was born in England in 1639, and came over 
 to Boston with his wife Elizabeth soon after 
 the Restoration. By his wife, he had several 
 children bom in Boston, of whom it does not 
 appear that any lived to full age, except Anne, 
 who married Thomas Story the first Recorder 
 of Philadelphia, his son Edward who married 
 Francina Vanderheyden of Maryland (by whom 
 he had issue one daughter, the late Mrs. Jehyll), 
 and my Grandfather Joseph Shippen, who mar- 
 ried Abigail Gross of Boston in the year I7( ) 
 by whom he had issue, my Uncle Edward of 
 Lancaster, Joseph of this city Merchant, Wil- 
 liam, now of Germantown, Physician, and my 
 Mother. My said Great Grandfather Edward 
 Shippen came from Boston to this City about 
 the year 1688. When he left England, he left 
 behind him one brother called William, who 
 had issue four sons; Robert a Clergyman, Wil- 
 liam a Lawyer, and Member of Parliament in 
 the Reign of George the first, and George the 
 2d, ^^Edward a Physician, and John a Spanish 
 
 ^^See the Memoirs of Lord Chesterfield, page 35. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 121 
 
 Merchant. He came in his own coach from 
 Boston to Philadelphia, lived much in the style 
 of a Gentleman, built three of the largest and 
 best houses then in the City, and he died in the 
 year 1712. He had married a second wife ( ) 
 Richardson, who died without issue. Afterwards 
 he married a third wife Hester James, whom he 
 left his widow, with one child only, by her 
 called William, who died in his 22nd year. 
 
 "My father Charles Willing having married 
 Anne Shippen my Mother on the 21st day of 
 January 1 730-1, had issue eleven children — my- 
 self born the 19th day of December 1731, Anne, 
 now the wife of Teneh Francis, Dorothy who 
 married Walter Sterling a Captain in the Brit- 
 ish Navy. She died at Glasgow in Scotland in 
 October 1783 (having gone from her home in 
 London to visit her daughter), Charles, and 
 Mary who married Wm. Byrd Esqr of Virginia, 
 Elizabeth the wife of Samuel Powel Esqr. Rich- 
 ard, Abigail, Joseph who died an infant, James, 
 and Margaret the wife of Robert Hare. My 
 Father died of a Nervous or Gaol Fever the 
 30th of November, 1754, in the 45th year of his 
 age, this disorder then prevailed much in Phila- 
 delphia. He was particularly exposed to it by 
 
122 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 his office of Mayor, to which he had then been 
 appointed for the second time, and which office 
 he had filled with distinguished honour to him- 
 self and satisfaction to the public. By great 
 industry, care and ability, he acquired and left 
 a clear Estate of about £20,000 sterling, and 
 raised on a Capital of £500 sterHng given him by 
 his Father, and the like sum given him by his 
 Aunt Dorothy Mayne. He was a very healthy 
 man, yet died in the prime of life. In his per- 
 son he was of a handsome manly figure, rather 
 tall and full made, of a healthy, fresh com- 
 plexion. Cheerful in his temper and behaviour, 
 he was affable and courteous to all, but remark- 
 ably kind and affectionate to his family and 
 particular friends. As a Merchant, he was emi- 
 nently distinguished for his abilities and enter- 
 prising spirit — by which he extended and enlarged 
 the trade of Pennsylvania — as well as his Can- 
 dour and Integrity. As a citizen he was greatly 
 useful, and therefore universally regretted. 
 
 "To all my descendants, who may read this true 
 and faithful account of my worthy progenitor, I have 
 only to say, that it is my earnest prayer, that they 
 emulate his character and virtues, and never disgrace 
 the much honoured stock they have sprung from. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 23 
 
 "By transplanting his family into this Country, 
 he has placed our lot in a Land of Freedom, a 
 wholesome climate, and goodly soil. By his own 
 good conduct, and the consequent esteem of his 
 fellow citizens, he has given us a letter of ex- 
 tensive credit, to which I have found due honour 
 in every part of the mercantile world — He has 
 paved the way for a favourable reception to us 
 all. I have not, I hope and trust, placed any 
 thorne in the path; and I flatter myself, that 
 those who follow me, will still keep it clear as 
 long as our name shall be remembered. 
 
 "My Father was one of the first Trustees, and 
 one of the founders of the College and Academy 
 in Philadelphia in the year 1750. 
 
 "As to myself, I was the eldest of Eleven 
 Children and was bom on the 19th of Decem- 
 ber, 1 73 1. Before I was nine years old, I was 
 sent to England to my Grandfather, who placed 
 me at school at Wells in Somersetshire, under 
 the care of the Rev. Robert Wheeler, with him 
 I remained about four years and a half. In 
 September 1748, I went to London, and spent 
 six months at Watt's Academy in Windmill, St. 
 On the 19th of May 1749, I returned to Phila- 
 delphia, where I served my Father in his count- 
 
124 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 ing house till his return from England in Octo- 
 ber 1751. 
 
 "In the execution of his business during his 
 absence, I had given him so much satisfaction, 
 that he took me into partnership with him. This 
 continued to his death Nov. 30th, 1754, at 
 which time, I think I had — with the profits of 
 our Trade, the amount of a small estate at Quad- 
 ring in Lincolnshire which descended to me from 
 my Great Aunt Dorothy Mayne, and which my 
 Father sold for me while in England at the price 
 of £550 Sterling, and the legacies left me by my 
 Father — about six thousand pounds sterling clear 
 estate. The constant, but necessary attention 
 to my business, and the affairs of my Father's 
 estate and large family of young children, 
 prevented my marrying till the year 1763, at 
 which time, on the 9th of June, it was my happy 
 lot to marry Anne McCall then in her nineteenth 
 year, one of the most deserving of her sex. She 
 was the eldest daughter of Samuel McCall by his 
 wife Ann Searle, and Granddaughter of George 
 McCall, both then dead, but who had been very 
 respectable Merchants of this City. The latter 
 was a Scotchman by birth, and came here early 
 in the present century. He was much of a Gen- 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 25 
 
 tleman, and died possessed of a handsone fortune 
 besides 14,000 acres of land at Manatawney, in 
 Philadelphia County confirmed to him by act of 
 Assembly in 1735. By my affectionate and be- 
 loved wife, who died the 5th of Feb'y 1781, I 
 have thirteen children, viz: 
 
 "Anne, now married to Wm. Bingham. 
 
 Charles, who died in 1765. 
 
 Charles, the second of the name and now living. 
 
 Thomas Mayne, called after Dorothy Mayne. 
 
 Elizabeth, my fifth child. 
 
 George, who died in 1769. 
 
 Mary, my seventh child. 
 
 Dorothy, my eighth child. 
 
 George, the second of the name and now living. 
 
 Richard, my tenth child. 
 
 Abigail, my eleventh child. 
 
 William Shippen, called after my Uncle Wm. 
 Shippen. 
 
 Henry, my last child, who died in 1781. 
 
 "In 1754, I attended the General Congress of 
 all the Provinces at Albany as Assistant Secre- 
 tary, to the Delegates of this Province. 
 
 "In 1758 I was appointed one of the Commis- 
 sioners by Law, for carrying on the Trade of 
 
126 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Pennsylvania with the Western Indians, then in 
 Alliance with Great Britain, and held this Trust 
 in behalf of the Public about seven years. 
 
 "In October 1763, I was elected Mayor of Phila- 
 delphia. In October, 1764, I was chosen Mem- 
 ber of Assembly for the City, and continued my 
 seat until I resigned it in 1767, being then ap- 
 pointed one of the Justices of Supreme Court. 
 This station I kept till Feb'y 1777; when our 
 Government being then changed, this trust passed 
 into other hands, but I was the last who acted 
 in Office of those who had held commissions un- 
 der the old Constitution. In the year 1774, I 
 was President of the Provincial Congress, and in 
 the years 1775 and 1776 was appointed a Dele- 
 gate in the Congress of the United States for 
 this State; and was present when the vote of 
 Independence was passed in Congress in 1776. 
 
 "I voted against this Declaration in Congress, 
 not only because I thought America at that time 
 unequal to such a Conflict, as must ensue — hav- 
 ing neither Arms, Ammunity, or Military Experi- 
 ence — ^but chiefly because the Delegates of Penn- 
 sylvania were not then authorized by their in- 
 structions from the Assembly, or the voice of the 
 People at large, to join in such a vote. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 27 
 
 "On the 2nd of November, 1781, I was chosen 
 President of the National Bank, ^^in which sta- 
 tion I have continued till this time, having been 
 unanimously re-elected at each Annual Election, 
 and having received the thanks of the stock- 
 holders for my services at the General Meeting, 
 together with a present from them of five shares 
 of stock as a further mark of their approbation. 
 
 "In giving the foregoing account of my Ances- 
 tors, and those of my Children too, no apology 
 is necessary. They have all been worthy char- 
 acters, and deserve to be remembered; but, as I 
 have gone into some particulars respecting my- 
 self, and wish to avoid the imputation of vanity 
 or self-adulation, it behooves me to assign the 
 reason for the recital, unentertaining and there- 
 fore uninteresting to the world at large, but to 
 my children it may be of use. It offers to them 
 a lesson of Example which often strikes the 
 youthful mind more forcibly than Precept. 
 
 "I have been greatly successful in my endeav- 
 ours to increase my fortune; I have enjoyed as 
 much domestic happiness as most men, and have 
 received many flattering marks of public esteem 
 and confidence. I have through life, enjoyed 
 
 ^^This was the Bank of North America, in Philadelphia. 
 
128 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 great good health, and at this day am free from 
 any of those complaints which often attend a 
 life of less regularity and Sobriety. My success 
 in life has not been derived from superior abili- 
 ties, or extensive knowledge, a very small and 
 scanty share of either having fallen to my lot; 
 therefore it can only be ascribed to a steady 
 application to whatever I have undertaken, a 
 civil and respectful deportment to all my fellow 
 Citizens, and an honest and upright conduct in 
 every transaction of life. 
 
 "I cannot boast a descent from any of noble 
 blood, or high rank, in the estimation of the 
 world, yet our forefathers have left us a nobler 
 claim of inheritance than those alone can give. 
 They have been worthy honest people, and left 
 a character perfectly unsullied. 
 
 "The purity of the stream has not been pol- 
 luted by me, and I fondly flatter myself it 
 never will be by any descending from me. 
 
 "Thomas Willing. 
 
 "Bank of the United States, 
 August 25th, 1802 
 "Having accidentally taken up and read the 
 foregoing paper, I think proper, with a grateful 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 129 
 
 sense of the favours and mercies I have received 
 from the Supreme Being, to note, that although 
 a Malignant Fever has raged with great violence 
 in Philadelphia in the years 1793, 1797, 1798 
 and 1799, and although so many instances of its 
 direful effects have happened within the last 
 five or six weeks, as to induce about one-fourth 
 part of the Inhabitants to retire to the Country, 
 yet, blessed be God! I have escaped without — 
 excepting in 1793 I had a slight attack of said 
 Yellow and then contageous fever — and am now 
 in perfect health, and by the favour and confi- 
 dence of my Fellow Citizens am still in the exe- 
 cution of the Office of President of this Institu- 
 tion. 
 
 "Thomas Willing." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Richard Bassett of 
 Delaware.*^ 
 "Bank, Feb. the 6th, 1786. 
 "Richard Bassett, EsQ^ 
 
 "Sir: — I have this moment the Honor of yours 
 of the 3^^ inst., covering the Charter granted to 
 the Bank of North America by the Patriotick 
 Legislature of the Delaware State. It is too late 
 
 ^** Original Minute book of the Bank of North America. 
 
130 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 this Evening to lay it before the Directors, and 
 your Express is anxious to go off early in the 
 morning. Therefore I can only say for myself 
 that I feel in the highest Degree the Obligation 
 the Institution is under to the State of Delaware 
 for thus kindly taking us by the Hand, and giv- 
 ing us their protection, at a Time when our mis- 
 guided Assembly here, have Attempted most un- 
 reasonably to crush and destroy us. 
 
 "I thank you for the Service you have done us, 
 on this Occasion, and you may depend on the 
 Warmest Zeal on my part to render every Serv- 
 ice to your State, and the many Worthy Indi- 
 viduals of it, whenever it falls within my Line 
 of Duty, either in the station I now have the 
 Honor to fill, or as an Inhabitant of Pennsyl- 
 vania. 
 
 "I am. Sir, with the highest respect, 
 
 "V much Obliged humb. Serv*, 
 "Thomas Willing, Pres*^*," 
 
willing letters and papers. i3i 
 
 "Advertisement of 
 Willing, Morris and Swanwick.'*' 
 
 **For sale, in Penn Street. 
 * * * * 
 
 "Hyson and Bohea Teas, in whole, half and 
 quarter chests, of the last importation from 
 China. 
 
 French cambricks, lawns, silks and sattins, 
 
 Mens and womens plain and coloured gloves. 
 
 Gold lace, India and French chintzes and cal- 
 licoes. 
 
 Italian silks, silk handkerchiefs and oil cloth 
 umbrellas. 
 
 Scotch threads, checks, buckrams, rattinets, etc.. 
 
 Queens ware, China plates etc, in crates and 
 boxes, 
 
 Marble chimney pieces, slabs and paving tiles, 
 
 Zant currents in barrels. 
 
 Roll brimstone in boxes. 
 
 Old Martinique coffee in bags 
 
 French brandy in pipes. 
 
 Claret in boxes, of three and four dozen each, 
 
 Madeira, Teneriff and Sherry wines. 
 
 "May 6, 1786" 
 
 *' Pennsylvania Gaz,, May 10, 1786, No. 2919. 
 
132 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 The following minute in the handwriting of 
 Thomas Willing is on a separate sheet of 
 paper inserted in the original minute book of 
 the Bank of North America. This paper is thus 
 endorsed on the back: "Minutes of the Di- 
 rectors on the Bank Charter now before the 
 Assembly Nov. 23'^, 1786." 
 
 "At a Meeting of the Directors of the Bank 
 of North America On Thursday, the 23rd of 
 November, 1786 
 "Present: 
 
 I — Thomas Willing, Pre* 
 
 2 — Thomas Fitzsimmons 
 
 3 — John Nixon 
 
 4 — Samuel Powel 
 
 5— John M. Nesbitt 
 
 6 — John Ross 
 
 7 — Richard Bache 
 
 8 — Andrew Tybond 
 
 9 — Josiah Hewes 
 "Mr. Nixon and Mr. Powel were appointed 
 a Committee to advise w\ Mr. Wilson whether 
 the Directors will be justifiable in receiv^. 
 from the Legislature of Pen. a Charter for a 
 limited time or in any other particular differing 
 in its Modification from the Congress Charter. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 33 
 
 "The Committee hav^. consulted w*. Mr. Wilson 
 as Council on the above Question report, That 
 he is decidedly of Opinion 'that the Modifi- 
 cation of the Bank Charter as to limitation 
 of Time or Capital will not effect the Congress 
 Charter, and that it will not be improper for 
 the Directors to receive such Charter from the 
 Legislature of Pennsylv^.'" 
 
 Thomas Willing to William Bingham at 
 
 New York.^2 
 
 "1788 May 6 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "Altho. I am not fond of writing on political sub- 
 jects, yet when I see the spirit of my friends flag 
 & despond, & as I think, without any substantial 
 cause, I can't help administering a little Comfort, 
 now it is in my power — Other members of the Vir- 
 ginia Convention whose letter's you have seen, 
 may be left sanguine than y"" fr. Corbin; but 
 it don't follow, that he has judg'd amiss in 
 expressing his belief & hopes. I hate your 
 lukewarm patriots — he wrote as he tho^ & 
 what is more, as he wished too. I honor him 
 for it, and for the trouble he gives himself 
 
 *^ From the Library of Congress. 
 
134 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 to comfort the friends of the New Constitu- 
 tion here by his frequent letters to you & to 
 D^ Rush on the subject. I believe you'l find 
 y^ he has not been greatly wrong with respect 
 to the final issue of the business — I have just 
 seen a letter from Mr. Madison w*" gives me 
 hopes, & warm well founded One's too, y* all 
 will go right, it's dated on the iS**". Another 
 from M"". S. Smith of Baltimore with an ex- 
 tract from Gov. Randolph's letter of the i8*^ 
 to him — in this the Gov"", says — "the number 
 of the voting members is i68 — of w*" 76 are 
 decided Antifederalists — 82 as firm for the adop- 
 tion — Ten who have never yet declared them- 
 selves, but y*' he had the best assurances that 
 one half were with us, & since the Scruples of 
 some had been quieted by a peculiar form of 
 Ratification, which will be offere'd — but after 
 all, it will be unfortunate to decide such a 
 question by so small a Majority — and I am 
 restrained from pressing previous Amendments, 
 by the Conviction that it will hazard the Union 
 & are unattainable; the number's on each side 
 are so respectable, y* they command equal 
 respect & deference." 
 
 "Since writ^ the above from memory, I 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. I35 
 
 have got a Copy of the above letter, & send 
 it you herewith. I dare say you'd sleep the 
 better for it — I have some reason to believe y* 
 the Kentucky Member's will not vote on the 
 Question — they expect to become "a separate 
 State, & therefore by stand^ aloof may here- 
 after make better Terms — at least they 
 
 this is the state as far as we have grounds for 
 Calculation before any question has been taken — 
 
 a more 
 in than 
 
 — they believe so — I had wrote thus far when 
 I got an Extract of M' Madison's letter w^ 
 you have No. 2 — ^Adieu! I have been inter- 
 rupted 40 times since I began this scrawl. 
 Nancy & the girls are quite well, & so is 
 
 "Y"" affectionate fr — 
 "When you write next to my Daughter D — 
 I desire you will treat her as a Child, & not 
 put it into her head, poor babe; that she is 
 now, or soon ought to be a fine Lady — such 
 language is enough to turn the head of any 
 Brat in town — The Scotch Sash is very pretty — " 
 
136 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Thomas Willing to William Bingham at 
 New York/^ 
 
 "My Dear Sir 
 
 "I rec^ y^^ of the 30th ult by the post yester- 
 day, and have sent forward the letter from 
 Mr. Kearney by a near neighbour of his. I saw 
 Col° Howard pass by last night and don't 
 hear y* he is ab^ to leave town before our 
 Gala day is over. 
 
 "From my heart I congratulate you on the 
 news from Virginia, their Ratification has put 
 an end to the dying faction here, and will 
 totally extinguish the flame w^ a few only of 
 this city had kindled in the Western Country. 
 
 "Pickering's captivity in North*^ County has 
 not any connection with the federal question, 
 it is purely an ill judg'd step to retaliate for 
 the capture of Franklin who is still in our 
 Gaol. 
 
 "I write this only to send you a copy of M"". 
 Madison's letter to T. Coxe, it is pleasing to 
 see that the great business has been conducted 
 with so much regularity. Other letters say "that 
 the greater part of the minority at Richmond 
 
 *^ From the Simon Gratz collection. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 137 
 
 have declared their intentions to assist the 
 federal Government now that a majority have 
 agreed to accept it, and say that their votes 
 in many instances were given in compliance 
 with their instructions, tho. contrary to their 
 own private inclinations and judgment." 
 
 "Nancy and all other's whom you care for are 
 perfectly well, except yr. poor brother. Adieu! 
 I am truly sorry for your very long detention 
 from us — but remember y^ an absence now 
 may cost you and others many long year's of 
 the like inconvenience hereafter. As to the 
 request you make respectg certain advances 
 to the Public, we'l let it alone till I see you 
 here. Once more farewell. 
 
 "I am affectionately yours, 
 
 THO^ Willing. 
 "Bank July 2^ 1788." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Jasper Yeates, Esq. at 
 Lancaster.** 
 
 "Bank Jan''^ 17™, 1789." 
 "Sir 
 
 "Agreeable to yotir request, I have invested 
 
 the 720 D'"^ you sent me by Latimore in the 
 
 ^ Volume of Blackwell and Willing Letters {Wallace Papers Volume 
 IV) in the Historical Society of Pemisylvania. 
 
138 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 purchase of two Shares of Bank Stock transfer'd 
 to you this day by George Simpson, which at 
 a discount of 10 pet. costs you exactly the 
 Money which you did me the honor of entrust- 
 ing to my disposal. I have lodg'd these Shares 
 in the hands of our very worthy friend & Kins- 
 man M^ Burd, which I suppose will meet 
 your approbation. 
 
 "I sent M"" Burd word, that I had two more 
 at my command, there is more who want just 
 now to buy, than to sell; and as he told me 
 some time ago that he tho* you wish'd to have 
 more, it wou'd have given me pleasure to have 
 assisted in y' accomodation on this Occasion, 
 as it will ever do on any other. 
 
 "I am. Sir, with perfect Esteem 
 
 Y^ Obed' hum Serv*. 
 
 THO^ Willing." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Alexander Donald, Esq. 
 
 Richmond, Virginia.*^ 
 
 "Phil^ Sept'^ 3'' 1789. 
 "Sir 
 
 "Having rec'd y^ fav' of the nth Ult° & attend^ 
 
 fully to all you say, respecting your commencing 
 
 From Letters of Members of the Old Congress — {Dreer manuscripts) 
 in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 39 
 
 a Suit ags* Coll° Harrison at present, & the delays 
 which in such Case, he will have in his power 
 to create, as well as what you propose respect^ 
 the federal Court, & the kind offer you make 
 of doing me all the Service in y^ power, if left 
 to your managem*. I have determined to do so, 
 fully confiding in y*^ kind endeavours to serve 
 me in this very tedious & cruel delay of justice. 
 It now embarrasses me much to be kept longer 
 out of Money w^ I have so long paid on this 
 Gentlemans Account — he can't make me amends 
 for the trouble & anxiety he has given me — 
 nor will the Interest of money whenever he 
 pays it off, make me amends for the Sacrifice 
 which I have been forced to make of property 
 sold at less than it's value to pay his debt for 
 him, when the judgment was obtained ags* me. 
 *'You know that M^ Eppes took a mortgage 
 of negroes, ''as he said fully sufficient to cover 
 this debt," & that he wrote to me to bring a 
 Suit for recovery of my demand — now it may 
 be proper for you to have his consent to post- 
 pone the Action ags* ColP Harrison, or else 
 perhaps I may hereafter be charg'd with neglect^ 
 an opportunity while the Debt might have been 
 will secured — If you were to speak to M' 
 
140 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Eppes on the Subject perhaps he may approve 
 of the delay as well as y"" hum. Serv*. 
 
 Tho^ Willing. 
 
 "M'' Alex'' Donald. 
 
 "I can believe in its fullest extent, what you 
 say ab* the property offered for sale by the 
 Coll° when he does not even propose to pay 
 anything out of his Crop this year; every part 
 of which wou'd most certainly sell for ready 
 Money & a good price too; at least I may say 
 so of his Wheat & Com — If he wou'd ship any 
 part of either or of both to this Market I wou'd 
 sell it to the best advantage free of Commis- 
 sion — 
 
 Wheat is now 71/ per bus. of 60 lbs. 
 Corn at 3/9 pe^ d°" 
 
 Resolution of the President and the 
 
 Directors of the First Bank 
 
 OF THE United States.*^ 
 
 "At a meeting of the Directors of the Bank of 
 the United States, December 29th, 1791. — 
 
 *^ From the Emmet manuscripts in the New York Public 
 Library. 
 
willing letters and papers. i4i 
 
 "Resolved 
 
 "That the President be authorized to appoint 
 
 such persons as he thinks proper in the several 
 
 States to receive all Interest due to the Bank of 
 
 the United States on the first day of January next. 
 
 "In Testimony whereof I have caused 
 
 the Seal of said corporation to be 
 
 hereunto affixed this eleventh day 
 
 of January 1792. 
 
 "Thos. Willing, 
 
 ''Prestr 
 
 Resolution of the President and the 
 Directors of the First Bank of the 
 United States.*^ 
 "At a Meeting of the Directors of the Bank of 
 the United States, Friday, 6th April, 1792. 
 
 "Resolved, 
 
 "That the President be empowered to appoint 
 a person or persons to receive all Interest due or 
 to grow due, on any public Debt standing in 
 the Name of the President, Directors, and Com- 
 pany of the Bank of the United States on the 
 Books of the Com^ of Loans in any of the States. 
 
 ^^ From Bank of the United States {Etting Papers) in the Histor- 
 ical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
142 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto caused 
 the Seal of said Corporation to be affixed, the 
 14th Day of July, 1792. 
 
 Tho^ Willing, 
 
 Prest. 
 
 "Attest 
 
 John Kean 
 
 Cash^r 
 
 Superscription — "The President Directors & C° of 
 the Bank of the United States 
 to 
 John Hopkins 
 General Power to receive Interest 
 on Public Debt Stock 
 lodged July 21st 1792." 
 
 "Agreement between Alexander Hamilton, 
 
 Secretary of Treasury of the United 
 
 States and 
 
 The President, Directors and Co. 
 
 OF THE Bank of the United 
 
 States.** 
 "June 25, 1792. 
 
 "Agreement between Alexander Hamilton Secre- 
 tary of the Treasury of the United States, by 
 
 **Froin Bank of the United States {Etting Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. I43 
 
 virtue of authority from the President of the 
 United States, on behalf of the United States, 
 of the one part, and the President, Directors and 
 Company of the Bank of the United States of 
 the other part. 
 
 "Whereas in and by the Act intitiled An Act 
 to incorporate the Subscribers to the Bank of the 
 United States, it is among other things enacted 
 in the words following "That it shall be lawful 
 for the President of the United States, at any 
 time or times, within eighteen months after the 
 first day of April next to cause a subscription to 
 be made to the Stock of the said Corporation, 
 as part of the aforesaid Capital Stock of Ten 
 millions of Dollars, on behalf of the United 
 States, to an amount not exceeding Two millions 
 of Dollars; to be paid out of the monies which 
 shall be borrowed by virtue of either of the Acts 
 the one entitled, An Act making provision for 
 the debt of the United States; and the other 
 entitled an Act making provision for the reduc- 
 tion of the public debt, borrowing of the Bank 
 an equal sum, to be applied to the purposes, 
 for which the said Monies shall have been pro- 
 cured; reimbursable in Ten years, by equal annual 
 installments; or at any time sooner, or in any 
 
144 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 greater proportions, that the Government may 
 think fit." 
 
 "And Whereas for carrying into execution the 
 said provision the President by writing under 
 his hand bearing date the 9th day of May last 
 past, did authorize the said Secretary to sub- 
 scribe by one or more subscriptions on behalf 
 and in the Name of the United States for such 
 number of Shares of and in the Capital Stock 
 of the said Corporation as together should 
 amount to Two millions of dollars and the same 
 to pay for out of any monies which have been 
 or shall be borrowed by virtue of either of the 
 Acts the one entitled "An Act making provision 
 for the debt of the United States" and the other 
 entitled "An Act making provision for the 
 reduction of the public debt" and did further 
 authorize the said secretary to borrow of the 
 said Corporation for and on account of the 
 United States an equal sum, namely Two mil- 
 lions of Dollars to be applied to the same pur- 
 poses for which the said Monies shall have been 
 procured and to be reimbursable in Ten years by 
 equal annual installments or at any time sooner 
 or in any greater proportions that the Govern- 
 ment may think fit. Provided that the Interest 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. I45 
 
 thereof should not exceed the rate of six per 
 Centum per annum, and did also empower the 
 said Secretary to enter into and conclude with 
 the said Corporation such contracts and agree- 
 ments as should be necessary for fulfilling the 
 purposes aforesaid promising to ratify whatever 
 he should lawfully do in the premises. 
 
 "Now THEREFORE THESE PRESENTS WITNESS 
 
 That it hath been agreed and it is hereby 
 agreed by and between the parties aforesaid as 
 follows, to wit — 
 
 "First — The said Secretary of the Treasury 
 forthwith after the execution of these Presents 
 shall pursuant to the authority to him given as 
 aforesaid subscribe in some proper book at the 
 said Bank in the name and on behalf of the 
 United States for Five thousand Shares of and 
 in the Capital Stock of the said Corporation. 
 
 "Secondly — The subscription so to be made 
 shall be deemed to have been made on the 
 twentieth day of December last past and the 
 said United States shall be deemed to have 
 become on the said day and shall be proprie- 
 tors of the said Five thousand shares of and in 
 the said Capital Stock, subject to the conditions 
 and agreements hereinafter specified. 
 
146 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Thirdly — The amount of the said Five thou- 
 sand shares, namely Two MilHons of Dollars 
 shall be payable in moieties, one moiety upon 
 the day of the execution of these Presents, the 
 other moiety on the first day of July next. 
 
 "Fourthly — The said Corporation upon the 
 payment of each of the said Moieties shall forth- 
 with lend, advance and pay a sum equal to 
 such moiety to the United States to bear an 
 Interest at the rate of six per Centum per 
 Annum, subject to the terms of reimbursement 
 in the Act aforesaid specified. — 
 
 "Fifthly — ^As the dividend upon the said first 
 moiety will begin to accrue on the said 20th 
 day of December last past, the Interest upon the 
 loan which shall be first made pursuant to the 
 article next preceding, that is to say upon the 
 principal sum of one Million of Dollars shall 
 begin to accrue upon the said 20th day of 
 December last and the Interest upon the said 
 Second loan of one Million of Dollars shall begin 
 to accrue upon the said first day of July next. — 
 
 "Sixthly — The Interest upon the said loans 
 shall be payable and paid half yearly, that is to 
 say the first half yearly payment shall be made 
 on the first day of July next and thereafter a 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 47 
 
 half yearly payment shall be made on the first 
 day's of January and July in each year until the 
 final reimbursement of the said Loans. 
 
 "In TESTIMONY WHEREOF The Said Secretary 
 hath hereunto subscribed his hand and caused to 
 be affixed the seal of the Treasury of the United 
 States, and the said President, Directors and 
 Company have hereunto caused to be affixed the 
 Seal of the said Corporation. Done at Phila- 
 delphia the Twenty-fifth day of June x x in 
 the year one thousand seven hundred and 
 ninety-two. 
 
 Alexander Hamilton, 
 
 Sec'y of the Treasy. 
 Tho^ Willing Pres\ 
 "Attest 
 
 John Kean 
 
 Cashrr 
 
 Document relating to the First Bank 
 OF the United States.'*^ 
 
 "We Thomas WilHng President & John Kean 
 Cashier of the Bank of the United States acknowl- 
 
 *^ From Ba7ik of the United States {Etting Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
148 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 edge to have received from Citizen La Forest 
 Consul General of the French Republic and act- 
 ing in that capacity, an Order drawn by the 
 Minister of the French Republic upon the Secre- 
 tary of the Treasury of the United States dated 
 loth July 1794 for Thirty one thousand Five hun- 
 dred Eighty One Dollars & three Cents which 
 order is lodged in consequence of the Bank of 
 the United States having become Guarantees 
 for the performance of three Charter Parties 
 entered into in New York by the French Repub- 
 lic for the Freight of the Bristol Maria & Atlas — 
 Now we promise that upon the Bank of the 
 United States being fully discharged & acquitted 
 from any responsibility by consequence of said 
 Guarantee that we will account with the said 
 Citizen La Forest or any person duly author- 
 ized for the said order or its proceeds. 
 
 "In witness whereof we have hereunto sett our 
 hands this 14th July 1794. 
 
 "Tho" Willing Fre^. 
 John Kean 
 
 Casicr 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 49 
 
 On THE BACK OF THE ABOVE DOCUMENT THERE 
 IS THE FOLLOWING ENDORSEMENT: 
 
 **I promise to lay in the Bank of the United 
 States the Sum of Thirty one thousand five 
 hundred and Seventy one Dollars and three 
 Cents being the amount of the security given 
 by the President & directors of the Said Bank 
 for the performance of the Charter Parties agreed 
 with the owners of the Bristol, Maria, & Atlas, 
 by the Legation of the French Republic untill 
 it is known that they had their effects. 
 
 "Done in Philadelphia this 6th day of Messidor, 
 
 2^ year of the French Republic, being the 24th 
 
 of June 1794 (O. S.) 
 
 "Th. Fauchet" 
 
 Document Relating to the First Bank 
 OF the United States.^" 
 
 "Agreement Between Alex. Hamilton and 
 the Pres. & Directors & Co. of the 
 Bank of the United States 
 
 "Agreement between Alexander Hamilton 
 Secretary of the Treasury on behalf of the 
 
 ^" From Bank of the United States (Etting Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
150 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 United States of the one part; and the President 
 Directors & Company of the Bank of the United 
 States of the other part; made January the 
 Twenty eighth 1795. 
 
 "The said President Directors & Company 
 shall forthwith transfer or cause to be transferred 
 into the name of Mess"^^ Wilhem & Ian Willink 
 & Nicholas & I Van Staphorst & Hubbard 
 Agents for the United States at Amsterdam the 
 Sum of Five hundred Thousand Dollars Stock 
 of the United States bearing a present interest 
 of Six per centum per Annum. 
 
 *'The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause to 
 be paid for the said Stock a Sum in lawful 
 current money of Five hundred thousand Dollars, 
 one fifth thereof on the first day of August; an- 
 other fifth part thereof on the first day of 
 September, another fifth part thereof on the 
 first day of October, and the remaining two fifth 
 parts thereof on the first day of November next; 
 together with Interest upon so much as shall at 
 any time remain unpaid to commence on the 
 first day of this present month and to be paid 
 half yearly. 
 
 "In Witness whereof the said Secretary of the 
 Treasury hath caused the Seal of the Treasury 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. I5I 
 
 to be affixed to these Presents and hath here- 
 unto subscribed his hand, and the said President 
 Directors and Company have also caused the 
 Seal of the Bank of the United States to be 
 affixed to the same the day & year aforesaid. 
 
 "Tho^ Willing Pres^ of the Bank 
 OF THE U. S." 
 
 A Deed of Gift of Thomas Willing 
 
 "Know all Men by these Presents that I 
 Thomas Willing of Philadelphia in Consideration 
 of the affection I bear to my Sister in Law 
 Margaret M'^Call and of the Sum of One 
 Dollar by her to me in hand paid the receipt 
 whereof I do hereby acknowledge have granted 
 bargained and sold aliened assigned transfer 'd 
 and set over to her the said Margaret M'^Call 
 her Executors Administrators and Assigns all the 
 Right Title and Interest Property Claim and De- 
 mand which I have in right of my deceased 
 Wife or otherwise of in to or out of the Estate 
 of Samuel M^Call deceased who was the Father 
 of the said Margaret, as well what was originally 
 vested in my said Wife by the Will of the 
 said Samuel M'^Call as what she became en- 
 
152 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 titled to by the deaths of her Brothers and 
 Sisters testate or intestate and I do hereby em- 
 power the said Margaret M'^Call for me and 
 in my Name but to her own Use to receive all 
 Sum and Sums of Money due or coming to me 
 as aforesaid from the Estate of the said Samuel 
 M^Call and Acquittance for the same in due 
 form of Law to make and execute. 
 
 "Witness my Hand and Seal this Seventeenth 
 Day of March A. D. 1798. 
 
 "Sealed and Delivered Thos. Willing 
 
 in the Presence of 
 
 John Wilson 
 
 R. O. B. Oliphant" 
 
 Thomas Willing to Henry Kuhl.^^ 
 
 "Sir 
 
 "M"" Anthony promised to deliver to you yester- 
 day a notice w^ Mr. Francis had rec'd for a 
 note of Mr. Bingham's 4900 D^^ due the 17/20 
 Ins^ and to desire you to hold it over till we 
 meet to-morrow. I presume Mr. B has sent me 
 a note to renew the above, but it has not yet 
 come to hand. 
 
 ^^ From the Simon Gratz collection. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 53 
 
 "I now send you two Notes w*" youl pass one 
 to the credit of T W F and the other to the c' 
 of Jas. Proudfit and of course charge each w*" 
 the corresponding notes due from them this day. 
 You have no doubt charg'd me w^ my note due 
 y'day of 500 D". 
 
 "Mr. Anthony has no doubt told you of our 
 resolution to open our business at our office in 
 Germantown next Monday, let us see you to- 
 morrow as early as you can, say half past nine 
 o'clock. I hope our Officers are well, for them as 
 well as for you, I have the most anxious concern. 
 
 Yrs with great Esteem 
 
 Tho^ Willing. 
 "Greenhill 
 
 Sept. 20th, 1798 
 
 Addressed to Henry Kuhl, Esq' 
 Bank U. S. 
 by Doctor Proudfit." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Mr. Burrall.^^ 
 "Sir 
 
 "I have just rec*d y""' respect^ the offer of M"" 
 
 Clason, & hav^ shown the papers to a few of 
 
 our Directors, we have concluded that it is best 
 
 to close directly with the proposal of M^ Clason. 
 
 ^^ From the Library of Congress. 
 
154 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "We rely on the opinion you give respecting 
 Mr. Clason's solidity — the time of payment being 
 postponed is of no consequence, as he is to pay 
 the Interest — ^As soon as you have fully arranged 
 the business, & tell us you have the Notes in pay- 
 ment — the Attachments shall be withdrawn here. 
 I am Sir &c., 
 
 Tho^ Willing, Pres\ 
 "Bank U. S. 
 
 Feb^ 3^ 1800 
 
 M''. BURRALL 
 
 Cashier,'" 
 
 Thomas Willing to Albert Gallatin.^^ 
 
 • "Bank United States 
 
 August 19™ 1801 
 "Sir 
 
 "Your favor of the 11*^ instant, was presented 
 to our Directors yesterday, and was received 
 with much pleasure & satisfaction. 
 
 "We thank you for the list of names which it 
 enclosed, and particularly for the caution and 
 candoiir manifested, in the account given of their 
 qualifications. 
 
 "We have now the honor to send you the reso- 
 lution's passed by a full board at our meeting 
 
 ^^From Library of Congress. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 55 
 
 on the 18 instant, in relation to the establish- 
 ment of an office of Discount & Deposit, at the 
 City of Washington, and which, we flatter our- 
 selves, will answer the objects of Government, 
 without being in any way injurious, or incon- 
 venient to the parent Institution. 
 
 "You will observe we have fixed the 15*^ of next 
 month as the day of election for 9 Directors, if 
 such a number of suitable characters, and quali- 
 fied by being Stockholders, can be found. We 
 shall in the meantime, as becomes us, use our 
 best endeavours to find out such men as, we 
 think, may best be confided in; and if we find 
 they are not Stockholders at that day, which 
 the law requires them to be, we can let their 
 names be known, so that they may each procure, 
 before a short day, to which the Election may 
 be postponed, the requisite qualification. 
 
 I am Sir, 
 for the President, Directors &c., of 
 the Bank United States 
 with high respect 
 your obed* 
 
 Tho^ Willing Prest. — 
 "Albert Gallatin, Esq"" 
 Secretary of the Treasury 
 of the United States 
 at 
 "Washington." 
 
156 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Joseph Clay 
 Jos. Habersham 
 
 >T0 Thomas Willing.^* 
 
 "Sir/ 
 
 On the ii**" Instant we addressed you by 
 Post upon the subject of the purchase of a 
 suitable House for the establishment of a Bank 
 in this City and transmitted by that conveyance 
 a plan of the buildings offered to us for that 
 purpose. 
 
 "Since that we have received a Letter from 
 M'. Stephen Elliott, a Copy of which you have 
 enc'osed, offering another brick building for nine 
 thousand dollars, which in our opinion is more 
 eligibly situated for the Bank than the other as 
 far as security against fire is an object, as you 
 will perceive by the plan of the buildings, that 
 will be forwarded to you by Post on the 19**" 
 Instant. After being in possession of all the 
 information we can give you on the Subject, it 
 must be left with you to determine which of the 
 two buildings combine the most advantages for 
 the intended Bank if you should determine to 
 purchase one of them for that purpose. 
 
 ^* Volume of Swijt and Willing Letters {Batch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 157 
 
 "M^ Young is out of Town and M'. Gibbons 
 from what has passed between M^ Wallace and 
 himself relative to the purchase of his house 
 does not think himself at liberty to write to 
 you on this occasion. 
 
 "We are with great Respect 
 Sir 
 y mo obed servants 
 
 Joseph Clay 
 Jos. Habersham 
 
 "Savannah 
 
 "i8'^ March 1802 
 Thomas Willing esq^ 
 President of the 
 Bank of the 
 United States." 
 
 Superscription — " Thomas Willing esquire 
 
 President of the 
 
 1 Bank of the United 
 Ceres Cap*. ( ^, , 
 
 1 States 
 
 Burnham f -nu-i ^ 1 i,- »» 
 
 Philadelphia 
 
158 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Document Relating to the First Bank 
 OF THE United States.^^ 
 "Bank United States 
 "To Thomas Willing, President, Dr 
 "1802 
 March 31 , To one quarter's Salary due this)^ 
 
 day at $3000 per Annum j 
 
 Received Payment 
 
 Tho" Willing Pres'y 
 
 Barbe Marbois to Messrs. Willing and 
 Francis.^^ 
 
 "MiNISTERE DU TreSOR PUBLIC — BUREAU Du 
 MiNISTRE — TrIPLICATA 
 
 13, Septembre, 1803 
 Paris, le 26 Fructidor, an 11 de la 
 Republique Frangaise, une et indivisible. 
 
 Le Ministre Du Tresor Public 
 
 "A Messieurs Willing & Francis, Banquiers 
 
 Philadelphie. 
 
 . "Messieurs Hope te Compagnie d' Amsterdam, 
 vous ont sans doute donne connoissance. Mes- 
 sieurs, des propositions qui m'ont ete faites par 
 
 ^^ Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
 ^^ From the Emmett Manuscripts in the New York Public Library. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 159 
 
 Mr. Alexandre Baring leur fonde de pouvoirs, et 
 que j'ai acceptees, celui ci qui a fait voile de Deal 
 le 14 Aout dernier, vous aura informe de tout 
 ce qui est relatif a cette affaire. Les dits 
 Sieurs Hope et compagnie ont pris 1' engagement 
 de realiser a Philadelphie et de remettre sur les 
 traites du Caissier general du Tr^sor de la Re- 
 publique Frangaise, a soixante jours de vue fixe, 
 une somme de 2,000,000 francs, ou Trois cent 
 soixante cinq mille six cent vingt cinq dollars, 
 et j'ai, en Execution de Tengagement de ces 
 Messieurs, autorise le Caissier general a tirer sur 
 vous cinq traites de 73,125 ($) chacune, sous la 
 date du 12 Fructidor an XI (30 Aout 1803) a 
 Tordre du Cm. Pichon, commissaire des Rela- 
 tions Commercials de la Republique Fran^aise 
 aux Etats Unis. Ces traites sont parties pour 
 leur destination. 
 
 "Je vous prie de me donner avis de leur pre- 
 sentation a I'acceptation et de la date de leur 
 acquittement. Les fonds de ces effets sont 
 destines au service des colonies Fran^aises, et a 
 rembourser les traites que le Payeur de St. 
 Domingue a ^te autorise a tirer sur le Cm. 
 Pichon a Philadelphie, ou sur la maison de 
 Banque qui seroit designee par ce Commissaire. 
 
l60 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Comme il seroit possible que la Residence du 
 Cm. Pichon ne fut pas Philadelphie, ou que des 
 voyages frequents, ou toute autre cause ne lui 
 permissent pas de se charger lui meme du ser- 
 vice de Tacquittement des traites du payeur de 
 St. Domingue, je I'ai autorise a en charger une 
 maison de Banque de Votre ville et je lui ai 
 designe la votre comme une de celles qui meritent 
 a plus juste titre la confiance du Gouvemement 
 Fran^ais, persuade que vous vous empresseriez 
 de concourir a assurer son service sous les con- 
 ditions d' usage dans le Commerce et que vous ne 
 laisseriez rien a desirer du cote du zele et du 
 devouement avec lequel vous dirigeriez les op- 
 erations qui vous seroient confiees. 
 
 "Je vous serai oblige de m'informer par une 
 correspondance suivie de tout ce qui pourra etre 
 relatif a cette operation. 
 
 "J'ai I'honneur de vous saluer. 
 
 "Barbe Marbois." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Albert Gallatin." 
 "Bank U. S. February 12, 1805 
 "Sir: 
 
 "Your communication on the subject of the 
 British Instalment — having been fully considered 
 
 ^' From the Library of Congress. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. l6l 
 
 by a committee of our Board, has this day been 
 reported on and the resolution proposed by the 
 committee agreed to by the Board of Directors. 
 
 "This resolution I have now the honor to 
 transmit, and hope it may meet your appro- 
 bation. The 15*^ of September mentioned as 
 the latest period for payment in England, will 
 still be earlier than it is probable the British 
 Government could realize their payment in Lon- 
 don in any other way. We therefore hope 
 there will be no objection on this point and it 
 is a stipulation the more necessary because the 
 time we now have to make our purchases is but 
 short for securing so large a sum. 
 
 "Knowing the state of our specie you will no 
 doubt see the propriety of furnishing us with 
 the Treasury drafts to enable us to begin and 
 accomplish the undertaking. If you determine 
 on it, and can so arrange the payment of the 
 instalment so that it can be made in this way 
 by Bills, it will be a relief to trade and prevent 
 that great distress which the exportation of so 
 large a sum in specie would occasion. I shall 
 be ready to execute on the part of the Bank any 
 instruments or engagement which you may think 
 necessary on the occasion. 
 
162 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "The execution of your orders for the purchase 
 of bills at New-York has brought our office 
 largely in debt to the other Bank there. If we 
 go into contemplated purchase we must expect 
 a part of it to be made at Boston, New York, 
 Baltimore &c., wherefore it is to be hoped that 
 a continuance of other purchases by you may 
 not be for some time found necessary. 
 "I am, Sir, 
 
 with the greatest respect, 
 your obed. 
 Tho". Willing Presidtr 
 (Endorsed) 
 
 "Philad" Feb^ 12, 1805 
 Thomas Willing, Esq\ 
 
 to 
 The Secretary of the Treasury." 
 
 Thomas Willing to John Swan Esq., 
 AT Baltimore.^* 
 
 "Bank U. S. June 9th 1807 
 "Sir 
 
 "The enclosed letter from M' Ja^ Jaffray with 
 the printed Advertisement, hav^ been before our 
 
 ^* From Letters of Members of the Old Congress {Dreer Manuscripts) 
 in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 63 
 
 Board — We now send it to you for information — 
 It is on a subject, we do not recollect to have 
 before heard of — 
 
 "The letter of Ocf 1796 of w^ he sends a 
 Coppy is not on our files — 
 
 "You'l please to tell us the amo^ of the sum 
 he claims of the bank, owing, as he says to the 
 conduct of y' Cashier — 
 
 "You will, also, let us know y"" Opinion, & 
 View of the business, altogether — 
 I am Sir 
 
 for the Pres'^ Director & Co. 
 of the Bank U. S. 
 Y^ Obed' 
 
 Tho^ Willing Pres\ 
 "Jno. Swan Esq. 
 Pres* of the 
 
 Office of Dis* & Deposit 
 ^* Baltimore." 
 
 A Resolution of the President and the 
 
 Directors of the First Bank of the 
 
 United States.^" 
 
 "At a meeting of the President & Directors of 
 
 the Bank of the United States, on the twelfth 
 
 ^^ From the Library of Congress. 
 
164 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 day of February 1805, the following report was 
 approved — wiz — 
 
 "The Committee to whom was referred a 
 confidential letter addressed to Thomas Willing, 
 Esquire, President of the Bank of the United 
 States, dated Treasury Department Feby 4*^ 
 1805 and signed Albert Gallatin, respectfully 
 submit the following report: 
 
 "That the Committee having carefully perused 
 the letter above referred to, are happy to find 
 that the difficulties therein stated to have existed 
 and which operated to embarrass the chartered 
 Banks at New York, have, in consequence of 
 measures pursued by this Board, together with 
 the judicious & prompt aid afforded by the 
 Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, 
 nearly subsided, and they have reason to believe 
 will soon be restored to perfect safety. That the 
 answer given by the President of this Bank, on 
 the 7*^ instant to the letter aforesaid, is, in the 
 opinion of the Committee correct and proper, 
 and, except the part thereof which respects the 
 payment of two hundred thousand pounds sterling 
 in Europe, comprehends all that was necessary 
 to be offered on the different points submitted 
 by the Secretary, of course, the only question 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 65 
 
 which remains to be answered by the Directors 
 is, whether they will undertake to remit to 
 Europe, on account and risk of this Bank, two 
 hundred thousand pounds sterHng, to meet the 
 demands of the British Government, which will 
 be due on the 15th of July next, from the 
 Government of the United States? On this very 
 interesting and important question therefore, your 
 Committee have bestowed particular attention, 
 and, after duly considering the present scarcity 
 of specie, and the continued drain thereof in aid 
 of commercial pursuits, they cannot doubt of it's 
 being the indispensible duty of the Directors of 
 this Bank to prevent, at this time, the exporta- 
 tion of the precious metals, on which the safety 
 of our monied institutions principally depends, 
 and under this impression they do not hesitate 
 to report in favor of the proposition, and that 
 no time may be lost in carrying it into effect, 
 they recommend the following resolution: 
 
 "RESOLVED, that this Board accept of the 
 proposal made by the Secretary of the Treasury 
 of the United States, as contained in his letter 
 dated Feby 4*'' 1805, and addressed to the 
 President of this Bank, and that they will 
 commence the purchase of bills of exchange and 
 
1 66 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 remit the sum of two hundred thousand pounds 
 sterHng to their Agent in London, at the risk 
 and expense of this Bank, with directions to pay 
 the same to the order of the said Secretary on, 
 or if convenient before the fifteenth of September 
 next. And in order to accompHsh this object, so 
 as to have a full and perfect knowledge thereof, 
 the President of this Bank is hereby requested 
 to enter into a special agreement with the Sec- 
 retary of the Treasury. 
 
 THO^ Willing, Pres\ 
 "ATTEST ^ 
 
 G. Simpson, Cash'.'' 
 
 Thomas Willing to Albert Gallatin. 
 
 "Bank of the United States 
 March nth, 1805 
 "Sir; 
 
 "Late on Friday evening I received yours of the 
 5. instant, by which I find it is agreed on your 
 part that the Resolution of our Board sent you 
 on the 1 2th ultimo shall be carried into execution 
 as promptly as possible. 
 
 "On Saturday I called a Board of Directors, 
 who agree that the instalment, say £200,000 
 Sterling, at par, shall be paid to your order in 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 67 
 
 London by Sir Francis Baring & Co., merchants 
 there, who are for this purpose our sole agents, 
 at the expence and risque of the Bank. 
 
 **We shall direct those Gentlemen to make the 
 payment on the 15. of July, if in their power so 
 to do, or at as short a day afterward as they 
 can; not delaying the payment of the whole 
 beyond the 15. of September, the ultimate point 
 of time specified in the abovementioned Reso- 
 lution. 
 
 "Our Cashier has this day received the Treas- 
 urer's draft for 200,000 dollars, on which, as it 
 was payable to the President, Directors & Co., 
 I have by my signature as President, endorsed a 
 receipt. We have already expended and remitted 
 to London the amount of this Treasury Draft, 
 and if convenient to you shall be glad to have a 
 draft on Boston, and another on New- York for 
 whatever sums you can assist us with. 
 
 "If this letter from me, and which is written 
 with the concurrence and approbation of a Board 
 of Directors, shall be deemed satisfactory by you, 
 there will be no occasion for your taking the 
 trouble to draft and execute any more formal 
 instruments. Your abovementioned letter of 5. 
 instant with the original proposal contained in 
 
1 68 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 that of the 4. February, are perfectly sufficient 
 for us. — 
 
 "I have the honor to be, Sir, 
 with the highest respect, 
 Your obed. 
 THO^ Willing Presit." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Albert Gallatin. 
 
 "Bank U. S. April 22° 1808. 
 "Sir 
 
 "Having within a few days past, discovered that 
 considerable purchases have been made of the 
 American dollars, and that more are intended 
 soon to be made for the purpose of shipping 
 them to India, the Directors being much alarmed 
 at such a practice being adopted, have directed 
 me to forward you a report of their Committee, 
 on this very interesting & important business. 
 
 "In compliance with the request of the Board I 
 
 have now the honor to hand you the report 
 
 approved by our direction — 
 
 and am Sir 
 
 with great respect 
 Y^ ob*. hum. Serv* 
 (Signed) THO^ Willing Pres^. 
 ''Honorable 
 
 Albert Gallatin, 
 Sect, of the 
 Treasury." 
 
willing letters and papers. 1 69 
 
 Thomas Willing to George Simpson. ^^ 
 
 "Dear Sir 
 
 "The time is at last come, when although 
 with regret, I must close my account with our 
 late Bk. U. States — ^for this purpose, I now send 
 you my bank book, and request that you will 
 have it settled as soon as convenient; and that 
 you will pass the ballance due to me therein, to 
 my Credit on the books of Stephen Girard, 
 Banker, by thus fixing my bank Account, I shall 
 have the pleasure of continuing my intercourse 
 with you, & the other Gentlemen associated with 
 you, under the auspices of that enterprising and 
 valuable Citizen M'. Girard — 
 
 "I send my book today, because I hear that 
 M^ Girard will begin business on Monday — 
 
 I am, as ever, 
 
 Y"" sincere friend 
 "PhiP. May i6th, 1812 & hum. Serv^ 
 
 Geo. Simpson Esq\ [The signature is cut off]" 
 
 "Name cut out and 
 
 fixed in Girards firm Book." 
 
 ^° From Bank of the United States {Etting Papers) in the Historical 
 Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
170 willing letters and papers. 
 
 Some Verses by Thomas Willing. 
 "MY ANSWER 
 
 "On being asked "what exercise I take, and if 
 it agreed with me?" 
 
 "When the air is dry, and weather clear, 
 From home I rove, both far and near — 
 Before it's noon, a league I walk; 
 And with my friends I laugh and talk; 
 When dinner comes I take my part 
 Of food that's plain, not dressed by art; 
 This meal gone by, I sit awhile. 
 An hour or so, then walk a mile. 
 
 "The day thus spent I go to bed. 
 Sweet sleep I have, as cares are fled, 
 My limbs at rest, my mind at ease. 
 My life resigned, when God may please, 
 At that dread hour, to me unknown, 
 I hope my fears may all have flown; 
 I'll thank my God for mercies past. 
 And crave forgivness at the last. 
 
 "'Tis bHndness to the future kindly given. 
 That each may fill the circle marked by heaven.' 
 
 —Pope. 
 Thos. Willing. 
 "Nov. 22, 1812, 
 
 Mrs. Maria P. Willing. 
 
 M61 
 
 *^ Mrs. Maria P. Willing was the daughter of Judge Richard Peters, 
 of Belmont. 
 
willing letters and papers. 171 
 
 Thomas M. Willing to Henry Ralston, 
 Philadelphia." 
 
 "Rue de la Paix 22""° July 1830. 
 
 "Dear Harry: 
 
 "I am much obliged to you for your letter 
 of the 14 June — ^According to your direction I 
 have ordered coat, boots, shoes & Hat & also a 
 Paradise feather & Hat for Harriette, which said 
 articles are almost ready to leave Paris, and 
 shall arrive at the commencement of the Autumn. 
 
 "The Hat was chosen by Madam du Bleutil & 
 the Countess de Corrinini who accompanied me 
 to purchase it, & both ladies said it was the 
 prettiest thing they had seen for a long time. 
 
 "You will observe the feather has the appear- 
 ance of being rubbed or eaten a very little at the 
 ends, but they are all so, in consequence of the 
 wings of the bird trailing upon the ground. It 
 was the least so of 30 or 40 & the most beauti- 
 ful I could find in a shop which is the best in 
 Paris. 
 
 "The above named ladies chose it also & as the 
 
 ®^ Volume of Blackwell and Willing Letters {Wallace Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
172 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Countess is a woman of high rank & fashion, & 
 also good taste. I hope Harriet will be pleased — 
 I have sent everything to Barde & afterwards 
 shall settle with Willis — I have been to the Due 
 d 'Orleans! & he received me very kindly. The 
 Prince of Moskowa is the best fellow in the 
 world, He lends me his horses & his opera box, 
 & his Mother la Marechale has parties every 
 Monday Even'g. La Duchess d'Ortrante has 
 parties every friday night where we dance & waltz 
 & afterwards drink hot punch. It is all a damd 
 mistake about the French not handing around 
 refreshments at their evening parties — It is true 
 they don't drench you with wine and that beastly 
 Brandy &' water, but you have the most deli- 
 cious ices in the world & drinks expressed from 
 all the fruits in season. The French understand 
 it — I was not introduced at the court of St. 
 James in consequence of the illness of the King, 
 & I now begin to think it is not worth the 
 expense. 
 
 "I have spent some very pleasant days in France 
 particularly at the Castle of "Maisons" with 
 Moskowa & his party — Our amusements were 
 pigeon shooting & billiards & afterwards riding 
 thro' the forest of St. Germain — He has some 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 73 
 
 very fine hunters— 12 or 14— I must finish now— 
 My love to all — 
 
 "I am truly my dear 
 Harry yours! 
 
 T. M. Willing." 
 Superscription — 
 
 "Mon^ H. Ralston, 
 
 64 Pine St. near 3'"^ 
 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 United States." 
 
 THE WILL OF THOMAS WILLING, 1820. 
 
 "I THOMAS WILLING of the City of Philadel- 
 phia in the State of Pennsylvania being of sound 
 mind memory and understanding but knowing the 
 great uncertainty of this life do make this my last 
 Will and Testament — 
 
 "FIRST I resign my Soul to the Almighty Ruler 
 of the Universe from whom I received it and by 
 whose favour and Protection I possess that portion 
 of property which it is my intention by this instru- 
 ment to dispose of. 
 
 "WHEREFORE as I have a right and Estate in 
 and to about one hundred and twenty two thousand 
 Acres of Land part of a larger quantity purchased 
 by William Bingham and myself from the State of 
 
174 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Pennsylvania and surveyed by John Adlum in that 
 part of the said State then called the Eighteen Dis- 
 tricts Westward of the River Susquehannah and as 
 Patents for the same were granted in the name of 
 William Bingham only between whom and myself 
 no Partition of the said Lands has ever been made, 
 it will be proper in case of my death that a division 
 of the said Estate be speedily made so as to fix and 
 separate my part and share from the part and share 
 belonging to William Bingham's representatives in 
 such division the like proportion may be allotted 
 to each as was agreed and fixed for our parts and 
 shares of the part of the said Estate sold to Talon 
 a division or adjustment being settled of my part 
 or Interest in the above Estate I do hereby give and 
 bequeath all my said Lands and Estate as above 
 described and mentioned to my four Executors 
 hereinafter named and to the Survivors and Survivor 
 of them and the heirs of such survivor in trust how- 
 ever for this Special use and purpose that the Said 
 lands and estate shall or may by them be sold at 
 such price in such manner and at such time within 
 ten years after my decease as they my Executors 
 or a majority of them may think proper and they 
 or a majority of them are hereby authorized to 
 make such Sale or Sales and to grant or give to the 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 75 
 
 purchaser or purchasers thereof good and Sufficient 
 Deeds to Convey the said Estate or any part thereof 
 in fee simple as I myself might or could do were I 
 then living and present And it is my Will that as 
 and when the money has been received by the said 
 Trustees for which the said Lands or any part thereof 
 has been sold the same shall be divided and paid in 
 the following manner and proportion to Say One 
 Ninth part thereof in equal Shares to my four 
 Grand Children Thomas, Richard, Eliza and George 
 Children of my son Charles Willing deceased their 
 respective heirs or assigns And the remaining eight 
 ninth parts of all money so as above received by 
 the said Trustees from any Sales of my said Western 
 Lands shall be equally divided and paid to my four 
 Sons Thomas M. Willing, George Willing, Richard 
 Willing, and William S. Willing, and to my four 
 daughters, Elizabeth, Mary, Dorothy and Abigail 
 their respective heirs or assigns Share and Share 
 alike And in case either of my four sons or four 
 daughters shall die before me it is my Will that the 
 one ninth part of the money received from the 
 Sales of the said Lands or the Share of the said Lands 
 as hereby given to him or her so dying before me 
 shall be equally paid or the Land granted as the 
 case may to his or to her Children when severally 
 
176 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Twenty One Years of age— FURTHER it is my 
 mind and will that the whole or such part of the said 
 Lands as may remain unsold at the expiration of 
 Ten years after my decease shall be divided into 
 nine parts or Lotts in quantity and quality as 
 nearly as may be conveniently done by a judicious 
 Surveyor that each Lot of such division be marked 
 in the general Map of the whole with one of the 
 Letters A to I That nine tickets each having one 
 of the said Letters wrote thereon shall be put into 
 a Box and thence drawn out singly by a person 
 named by my Executors That the first ticket so 
 drawn shall fix and designate the share given to 
 the four Children of my Son Charles deceased 
 namely Thomas, Richard, Eliza, and George their 
 respective heirs and assigns as tenants in Common — 
 and the next and remaining tickets to be drawn out 
 singly for my four Sons and four daughters accord- 
 ing to their seniority shall fix and designate to each 
 of them the ninth part or share of the said Lands 
 hereinbefore given to them severally their respective 
 heirs and assigns such division and distribution of 
 the above lands having been thus made my Exec- 
 utors or Trustees or a majority of them shall or 
 may give grant and assign after the expiration of 
 ten years from my decease separate Deeds to my 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 77 
 
 said several devisees or their representatives as 
 the case may require in fee simple for the part 
 or share so belonging to each of them. Any Deeds 
 of Release which may be necessary to pass between 
 William Bingham's heirs trustees or executors and 
 mine to assure to each their title severally to the 
 part or share belonging to each of the above Western 
 Lands and Estate or to any other Lands held in 
 Joint Concern by the said William Bingham and 
 myself my Executors or a majority of them are 
 hereby authorised and directed to receive from 
 them on behalf of my Estate or my devisees and also 
 to execute and deliver to them on my part such re- 
 lease in ample form as I myself might or could do 
 were I then living and personally present. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my Son Thomas Mayne 
 Willing his heirs and assigns my dwelling house and 
 lot of ground or homestead Estate on Third Street 
 and Willings Alley in the Said City and the Lot Of 
 ground on the south side thereof about Thirty two 
 feet front on Third Street and in depth westerly 
 the same width to the East Side or line of my Brick 
 Stable or Court Yard, adjoining thereto and which 
 stable its Lot and Stable I do also give and devise 
 to my said Son Thomas Mayne Willing his heirs 
 and assigns — I do also give and devise to my Said 
 
178 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Son Thomas Mayne Willing his heirs and assigns 
 All those my lots of ground, Houses, Stores, Wharves 
 and Estate on the East side of Penn Street in said 
 City of Philadelphia bounded on the North by John 
 Nixon's Estate west by Penn street south by a Ten 
 feet Alley widened by me to twelve feet next to 
 Thomas Cuthberts Estate and East by the River 
 Delaware at the Eastern extent of my Patents, all 
 of which Estate on Penn Street and all my said* 
 Homestead Estate except the lot on the South side 
 of my said dwelling house on Third Street shall be 
 liable for and subject to the payment of the six 
 following Annuities given to the following Annui- 
 tants respectively to be made and fully paid by 
 my said Son Thomas Mayne Willing his heirs and 
 assigns to say, I do give and bequeath to my son 
 William S. Willing during his life an annuity or 
 yearly sum of Two hundred and thirty Dollars I 
 give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Clymer 
 during her life for her separate use and on her own 
 receipt notwithstanding her coverture an annuity 
 or yearly sum of Two hundred and thirty Dollars I 
 give and bequeath to my daughter Dorothy Francis 
 during her life an annuity or yearly sum of Two 
 hundred and thirty Dollars I do give and bequeath 
 to my Daughter Abigail Peters during her life for 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 79 
 
 her separate use and on her own receipts notwith- 
 standing her coverture an annuity or yearly sum of 
 Two hundred and thirty dollars I give and bequeath 
 to my Housekeeper Catherine Gushing during her 
 life an annuity or yearly sum of Two hundred and 
 thirty Dollars and I do give and bequeath to my 
 daughter Elizabeth Jackson Wife of William Jack- 
 son during her life an Annuity or Yearly Sum of 
 Two hundred and thirty Dollars— And I do hereby 
 direct the payment of the said last mentioned an- 
 nuity to be made to my sons George Willing and 
 William S. Willing and to the survivor of them and 
 the heirs of such survivor To have take and receive 
 the same Sum In Trust for the use of my said 
 daughter Elizabeth Jackson during her natural 
 life, the same to be received and enjoyed by her 
 separate and apart from her husband and to be 
 free and discharged from all claims of any kind and 
 nature whatsoever and I do hereby direct and de- 
 clare that the separate receipts of my said daughter 
 under her hand shall alone acquit and discharge 
 the said Trustees for the due and faithful discharge 
 of the trust herein created and that yearly and every 
 year as the Said last mentioned annuity shall be 
 paid to same Trustees during the natural life of my 
 said daughter Elizabeth they shall pay the same over 
 
l80 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 to her and to no other person it being my Will 
 and intention that same annuity shall not be liable 
 or charged with any debts which may be due by 
 her said husband or by any other person or liable 
 or subject to any claims whatsoever thus having 
 given the above several annuities amounting in 
 the whole to Thirteen hundred and eighty Dollars 
 payable by my son Thomas his heirs and assigns 
 out of the two Estates above given to him and them 
 I do declare it to be my Will that each and every 
 the Said six annuities shall be paid by two even and 
 equal half yearly payments and shall be held and 
 considered to be a lien and charge on the said two 
 Estates and on each of them except the lot on the 
 South Side of my dwelling house which I do exempt 
 therefrom. I do Also give and devise to my said 
 son Thomas Mayne Willing his heirs and assigns 
 my Coach House and its Lot of ground on the 
 North side of Willings Alley near to my dwelling 
 house about eighteen feet front on said Alley and 
 forty feet deep North from the said Alley it being 
 the western part of a larger lot bought of my Uncle 
 Joseph Shippen And I do also give to my said son 
 Thomas Mayne Willing his heirs and assigns my 
 lot of grovmd on the Wind Mill Island opposite my 
 Estate on Penn Street which I bought of William 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. l8l 
 
 Brown and also hold by a lease from the late Pro- 
 prietaries of Pennsylvania. — 
 
 " I give to my son Thomas my Silver Tureene with 
 all its appurtenances made in London and given to 
 me by the Stockholders in the United States Bank 
 as a testimony of their approbation of my conduct 
 as President of that institution I do also give him 
 my three old family bibles and the old Clock which 
 was brought to this Country in the year One thou- 
 sand Six hundred and eighty eight by my Ancestor 
 Edward Shippen and further I give to my said Son 
 Thomas the sum of One hundred pounds from which 
 I devise him to pay six Pounds every year to Eliza- 
 beth Shippen during her life This is in lieu of the 
 like sum formerly subscribed by me for her support. 
 
 "I give to my Executors herein after named the 
 simi of sixteen hundred Pounds in Trust neverthe- 
 less to place the same at Interest on Mortgage or 
 invest the same in six per Cent Stock of the United 
 States and to receive the Interest thereof and pay 
 over the same half yearly to my said daughter 
 Elizabeth Jackson for her separate use during her 
 life and for which her own receipts only notwith- 
 standing her coverture shall be sufficient in the Law 
 and so that the same and every part thereof shall 
 not be in the power or subject to the debts controul 
 
1 82 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 or engagements of her husband or of any other per- 
 son or Hable or subject to any claims whatsoever 
 in the same way and manner as is herein before 
 mentioned expressed and declared of and con- 
 cerning the aforesaid Annuity of Two hundred 
 and thirty dollars and that after her decease whether 
 the same shall happen before or after my death 
 then my said Executors shall pay the said sixteen 
 hundred pounds or assign the stocks and mort- 
 gages in which the same may be invested in equal 
 shares to my four Grand daughters Ann, Elizabeth, 
 Mary and Caroline Jackson (Children of my said 
 daughter Elizabeth) the share of such of them as 
 may be Minors to be kept out at Interest or invested 
 in Stock for the use of such minor or minors till she 
 or they shall attain the full age of Twenty one Years 
 or marry which shall first happen and if either or 
 any of my said four Grand daughters shall die in 
 minority and unmarried then and in such case the 
 part and share of her or them so dying shall go and 
 I do give the same to the survivors or survivor of 
 my said four Grand Children the principal thereof 
 to be paid and assigned to them when and as they 
 severally attain their full age or marry which shall 
 first happen But if all and every the said four Chil- 
 dren shall die in their minority and unmarried then 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 83 
 
 and in such case the said sixteen hundred pounds 
 shall become a part of my residuary Estate. 
 
 "I give and devise to my Sons Thomas Mayne 
 Willing, Richard Willing and WilHam S. Willing 
 and to the survivors and survivor of them and the 
 heirs and assigns of such survivor All that my tract 
 of land and estate in Centre County in Pennsyl- 
 vania containing about six hundred and fifteen 
 acres of Land which I bought of Nicholas Hon- 
 singer on Bald Eagle Creek in the County aforesaid 
 In Trust however for the use and purpose following 
 and for none other to wit that they the Said trustees 
 or the survivors or survivor of them or the heirs 
 of such survivor (or a majority of them for the time 
 being shall and may sell and dispose of the Said 
 Estate and tract of Land either in whole or in parts 
 at such time and place and for such price as they 
 may think proper and the money which they shall 
 receive for any sale by them to be made all rea- 
 sonable charges being first deducted from the amount 
 of such sale and also after having deducted there- 
 from and fully paid off every note or notes now drawn 
 and to be drawn and payable by William Jackson the 
 husband of my daughter Elizabeth to me and all 
 other monies by me advanced to and for him and 
 charged to his account in my small Ledger folio 
 
1 84 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 seventy six with Interest thereon from the dates of 
 same notes and entries in my Said Ledger respec- 
 tively up to the time of payment not however both 
 principal and interest then to exceed Eighteen 
 hundred dollars and every note or notes and sums 
 of money then due from the said William Jackson 
 to my sons Thomas M. Willing and George Willing 
 and for any money which they or either of them here 
 have paid or for which they or either of them may 
 be liable to pay for any Note or endorsement they 
 or either of them may have lent — the said William 
 Jackson with Interest thereon not exceeding Six 
 thousand Dollars including interest to my Son 
 Thomas Mayne Willing and not exceeding Six- 
 teen hundred Dollars including interest to my son 
 George Willing all of which charges and debts 
 above mentioned not exceeding as aforesaid being 
 discharged out of the monies received on the sale 
 of the said Estate it is my Will that the balance 
 shall be put to interest at the discretion of my 
 said Trustees for the separate use of my Daughter 
 Elizabeth Jackson during her life and to whom 
 the said interest shall be paid and for which only 
 her own receipts notwithstanding her coverture 
 shall be sufficient and so that the same and every 
 part thereof shall not be in the power or subject 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 85 
 
 to the debts controul or engagements of her hus- 
 band or any other person or liable or subject to 
 any claims whatsoever in the same way and man- 
 ner as is hereinbefore mentioned expressed and 
 declared of and concerning her aforesaid annuity 
 of Two hundred and thirty dollars And that after 
 her decease all the said Monies so directed to be 
 put at Interest as last aforesaid shall be equally 
 paid to and divided equally between Ann Eliza- 
 beth Mary and Caroline Jackson the Children of 
 my said daughter or such of them as may survive 
 their Mother and live to attain the age of twenty 
 one years the shares of either of the Said Children 
 being under age shall be put to interest as afore- 
 said by the said trustees for the use of the same 
 minor or minors till of full age as above mentioned 
 But if all and every of my said Grand daughters 
 the Children of my said daughter Elizabeth shall 
 die in their minority and without issue then and 
 in such case the said last mentioned principal 
 Monies Shall become a part of my residuary Es- 
 tate. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my Sons Thomas George 
 and William and to the survivors and survivor 
 of them his Executors and Administrators the 
 sum of One thousand six hundred Pounds In 
 
1 86 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Trust however for the following Use and purpose 
 that they shall place the same at Interest at their 
 own discretion and as they receive the interest 
 they Shall annually pay the same to my daughter 
 the said Mary Clymer or to such person or per- 
 sons as she by writing under her own hand shall 
 from time to time authorise to receive the Same 
 as aforesaid notwithstanding her coverture shall 
 be sufficient And that after her decease whether 
 the Same shall happen before or after my death 
 they the said Trustees as above named shall divide 
 and pay the Said One thousand six hundred 
 Pounds in equal shares to such of the Children 
 of my said daughter Mary Clymer as may survive 
 her and who may attain the age of Twenty One 
 Years The shares of either of her children then 
 in their minority Shall be kept at Interest by the 
 Said Trustees for the benefit of such minor until 
 he or she comes to the above age. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my Sons Thomas 
 Richard and William and to the Survivors and 
 Survivor of them his executors and administrators 
 the sum of One thousand six hundred Pounds 
 In trust however for the following uses and 
 purposes that they Shall place the same at In- 
 terest at their own discretion and as they re- 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 87 
 
 ceive the Said Interest they shall annually pay 
 the same to my daughter Dorothy Francis for 
 her own use during her life and that after her 
 decease whether the same shall happen before or 
 after my death they the said Trustees as above 
 named shall divide and pay the said one thou- 
 sand six hundred Pounds in equal Shares to her 
 four youngest sons namely John Thomas Charles 
 and Alfred or the survivors of them. 
 
 " I give and bequeath to my Sons Thomas George 
 and William and to the survivors and survivor 
 of them and the Executors or administrators 
 and assigns of such survivor the sum of Four 
 thousand five hundred Dollars In Trust that 
 they or a majority of them for the time being 
 shall put the same at interest on Mortgage or 
 invest the Same in public Stocks of the United 
 States at their discretion and shall and do re- 
 ceive the Interest and dividends thereof and pay 
 over the same from time to time when and as 
 received to my daughter Abigail Peters for her 
 own separate use and for which her own receipts 
 under her own hand Notwithstanding her cover- 
 ture shall be deemed sufficient and so that the 
 same shall not be subject to the debts controul 
 or engagements of her husband and in trust 
 
1 88 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 after her decease to pay over and transfer all the 
 said principal sum of four thousand five hundred 
 dollars and the stocks and mortgages in which 
 the same may be invested and the interest and 
 dividends thereafter to accrue to and among all 
 her Children her surviving their respective Ex- 
 ecutors Administrators and assigns share and 
 share alike those who may be then minors to 
 receive their Portion thereof when and as they 
 severally attain the age of twenty one years or 
 
 marry which shall first happen. 
 
 "I give to my sons Thomas Mayne Willing and 
 William S. Willing or to the Survivor of them 
 seventy shares of the stock held by me in the 
 Farmers and Mechanics Bank In Trust for the 
 following purpose that the said Trustees or the 
 survivor of them shall within one month after 
 my death assign over and transfer the said seventy 
 shares of stock to my son George Willing his 
 executors administrators and assigns with all 
 dividends due and thence-forward to become due 
 on the said Stock and further it is my Will that 
 in case my said son George shall not survive me 
 or live until the transfer of said stock shall as 
 above directed have been rhade to him that they 
 the said Trustees or the survivor of them shall 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 189 
 
 forthwith transfer the said stock to Rebecca Wil- 
 ling the Wife of my said son George her Execu- 
 tors administrators and assigns. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my Son George Willing 
 the Sum of three thousand three hundred pounds 
 subject however to the payment of every Bond or note 
 made payable to me by him the said George Willing 
 whether assigned by me or in my possession. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my Son Richard Wil- 
 ling the sum of three thousand three hundred 
 Pounds subject however to the payment of 
 every Bond or Note made payable to me by 
 him the said Richard Willing whether assigned 
 by me or in my possession. 
 
 "I give and devise to my son Richard Willing 
 his Heirs and Assigns my house lot and estate 
 at the Corner of York and Delaware Third 
 Streets in the Said City of Philadelphia subject 
 to a ground rent thereon annually due and to 
 be paid to the Estate of the late Samuel Powell 
 Esquire deceased and also reserving as a further 
 condition of this devise the following annuity or 
 sum of money to be paid out of the Said Estate 
 namely an annuity of Two hundred and forty 
 Dollars to be paid to my son George WilHng 
 during his life in equal half yearly payments the 
 
1 90 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 first half yearly payment thereof to be made at 
 the expiration of six Months next after my de- 
 cease and further that my said son Richard his 
 heirs or assigns shall pay to my Grand daughter 
 EHza Spring the daughter of my Son Charles 
 the sum of four hundred dollars and also that 
 he my said son his heirs or assigns shall pay to 
 my son WilHam S. Willing in six Months next 
 after my decease should he my said son then 
 be living the sum of One thousand Pounds for 
 his own use and disposal But in case the said 
 William shall be then deceased the said sum of 
 One thousand Pounds shall be equally divided 
 between my three daughters Mary Clymer Doro- 
 thy Francis and Abigail Peters their respective 
 Executors Administrators and assigns share and 
 share alike and it is my Will that the said 
 annuity above given to George Willing and the 
 two Legacies directed to be paid to Eliza Spring 
 and to William S. Willing if living or in the 
 event of his death to my three daughters as 
 aforesaid shall be a lien and Charge on the Es- 
 tate at the Corner of York and Third Streets as 
 above mentioned. 
 
 " I give devise and bequeath to my said son Richard 
 Willing his heirs executors administrators and as- 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. IQI 
 
 signs all the Estate real and personal to which 
 I have claim right or title as being the heir at law 
 to the late James or Richard Bayne deceased late 
 of Hampton in Arden in the County of Warwick 
 or elsewhere in England. 
 
 "I give and devise to my Son William S. Willing 
 his heirs and assigns all my Estate on the West 
 Side of Front Street in the said City of Philadel- 
 phia between Walnut and Chestnut Streets in- 
 cluding the Old City Vendue Store and its Lot the 
 frame stores the Brick houses and stables to the 
 westward thereof on said lot also the new Brick 
 House with its lot on the south side of the Vendue 
 store adjoining Samuel Coates Estate the said Lot 
 extends west to Zacharys Court having thereby 
 free passage into Walnut street together with 
 every privilege and use of said Court or passage 
 both of which Estates or Lots with all the im- 
 provements thereon and appurtenances to each 
 belonging I give and devise to my said son Wil- 
 liam S. Willing his heirs and assigns and I do also 
 give and devise to my Said Son William S. Willing 
 his heirs and assigns all that my Pasture Lot con- 
 taining six Acres and an half more or less on Hud- 
 sons Lane in Moyamensing Township and County 
 of Philadelphia which I bought of the late Samuel 
 
192 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Hudson and further I do give to my said Son Wil- 
 liam S. Willing the sum of Three thousand five 
 hundred Pounds Subject however to the payment 
 of every Bond or note due or payable to me by the 
 Said William S. Willing whether assigned by me 
 or still in my possession. — 
 
 "I give to my sons Thomas and George Willing 
 and to the survivor of them and to the Executors 
 or Administrators of such Survivor the sum of 
 Two thousand five hundred pounds In Trust how- 
 ever for the following use and purpose that they 
 the Said trustees shall put the Same to interest 
 at their own discretion and as the said Interest is 
 received by them the said trustees they shall pay 
 the same to my said son William S. Willing an- 
 nually during his life In Trust however that the 
 said Interest so received by him shall be applied 
 by him at his own discretion for the support of 
 his family and the education of his Children now 
 born and hereafter to be born and after the death 
 of my said son William they the said trustees shall 
 pay and divide in equal shares the said Two thou- 
 sand five hundred pounds to and between all the 
 Children of my said Son William who shall Sur- 
 vive their Father and attain the Age of Twenty 
 one years The share of either of the said Children 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 93 
 
 who may not be of the age aforesaid shall be re- 
 tained by the said Trustees until such minor has 
 arrived at full age But if either or any of the Chil- 
 dren of my said son William shall depart this life 
 leaving issue living at the decease of my said son 
 such issue shall have and take such part and share 
 of the Legacy last aforesaid as his her or their de- 
 ceased Parent or Parents would have been en- 
 titled to had such parent or parents then been 
 living. 
 
 "I give and bequeath to my grandson Thomas 
 Willing Junior the eldest son of my son Charles 
 Willing deceased all the stock held by me and now 
 standing in my name on the Books of the Bank of 
 the United States being twenty shares together 
 with all dividends due at the time of my death or 
 thereafter to become due and I do also give and 
 bequeath to him the Said Thomas Willing Junior 
 sixty five shares of stock now held by me and 
 standing in my name on the Books of the Farmers 
 and Mechanics Bank together with all the divi- 
 dends due at the time of my death and there- 
 after to become due the Said sixty five Shares of 
 the last mentioned stock being all that will re- 
 main more than the seventy shares of the Farmers 
 and Mechanics Bank herein given to my Son 
 
194 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 George and all those my Forty shares of Masonic 
 Loan Stock now standing in my name by transfer 
 on the Books of the said Masonic Lodge Society 
 or Corporation the same being part of the first 
 Loan made by the said Society all of which stock 
 and Loan so given to my said Grandson according 
 to the rules or Ordinances of the said Banks or 
 Lodge respectively I do also give to my said grand- 
 son Thomas Willing Junior the Sum of Twelve 
 hundred Pounds in Cash I do also give and be- 
 queath to the said Thomas Willing Junior Two 
 thousand dollars part of the six per cent debt of 
 the United States now held by me which my son 
 Thomas M. Willing or my son William S. Willing 
 is directed as Executor of my Will to transfer to 
 the said Thomas Willing Junior within fifteen 
 days after my Executors Shall have received the 
 quarters Interest that may be payable next after 
 my decease Provided however and it is my Will 
 that before payment and transfer of the Cash 
 Legacy of Twelve hundred Pounds and stocks and 
 Loan of the aforesaid shall be made by my Ex- 
 ecutors to my said Grandson Thomas Willing 
 Junior all and every Note and Bond given and to 
 be given to me by him shall be fully paid off and 
 discharged or secured to the satisfaction of my 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 95 
 
 Executors by him of the said Thomas WilHng 
 Junior And that the same Legacy stocks and Loan 
 shall be considered in the nature of a Pledge in 
 the hands of my Executors for the security of such 
 Notes and bonds with Interest and may be sold 
 by them and the produce applied to the payment 
 of such notes and Bonds. 
 
 "I do give to my Grandson Richard Willing an- 
 other son of my son Charles the Sum of Twelve 
 hundred Pounds. 
 
 "I do give to my Grandson George Willing Junior 
 the youngest son of my said son Charles the sum of 
 Twelve hundred Pounds. 
 
 "The Annuity reserved out of the Estate called 
 "Coventry Farm" of Fifty Pounds per annum 
 payable by the purchaser thereof for and during 
 the life of Ann Morris I give to Ann Willing the 
 widow of my son Charles during the life of the 
 Said Ann Morris and if the Said Ann Willing 
 Shall die before the said Ann Morris I do in Such 
 case give the Said Annuity of fifty pounds per 
 annum during the then residue of the life of the 
 Said Ann Morris to my Grandson George the only 
 son of the Said Ann Willing and his heirs and I do 
 further give to her the Said Ann Willing the Sum of 
 Two hundred Pounds. 
 
196 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "All my Estate right and title to the house and 
 lot of ground on the south side of Almond Street 
 in South wark which I hold as residuary devisee of 
 my late sister Abigail Willing deceased I give and 
 devise to my Niece Ann Morris during her life 
 for which term she shall continue as heretofore to 
 receive the rents of said Estate and after the death 
 of the said Ann Morris my Niece I do give and de- 
 vise the Said House and Estate in Almond Street 
 aforesaid to Thomas Morris the only Son of my 
 said Niece Ann Morris and to her three youngest 
 daughters namely Elizabeth Margaret and Susan 
 their respective heirs and assigns in equal shares 
 as tenants in Common and in the event of the de- 
 cease of either or any of the said three Youngest 
 daughters of my said niece in minority and without 
 Issue then the part or parts of such decedent or 
 decedents in same Messuage and Lot shall go to 
 the Said Thomas Morris and the Survivors or Sur- 
 vivor of the same three youngest daughters of my 
 said Niece their respective heirs and assigns as 
 tenants in Common and further I give to my said 
 Niece Ann Morris the sum of six hundred Pounds 
 in lieu of my yearly gift of fifty Pounds promised 
 by me to be paid as long as both of us may live and 
 long and regularly paid to her and also in full dis- 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 97 
 
 charge of all or any Claim to be made on my Estate 
 for the stmi of Three hundred and twenty five 
 Pounds Assigned to me In trust for her use by her 
 Aunt Elizabeth Powell for which Sum I have annu- 
 ally paid the Interest to my Said Niece not having 
 applied the said Gift to the credit of her husband 
 Luke Morris although he was indebted to me a 
 much larger amount for seven years Rent of my 
 Farm Wherefore I direct that when the above 
 Legacy is paid to the said Ann Morris a full dis- 
 charge and acquital shall be required and received 
 from her for all and every Claim and Demand to 
 be hereafter made against my Estate by her or her 
 heirs executors administrators or assigns. 
 
 "I give to my Sister Elizabeth Powell the sum of 
 One hundred Pounds which I hope she will Accept 
 and receive as a token of my affectionate remem- 
 brance in any other view it would be unnecessary 
 to one whose commendable liberality has been so 
 generously and so often extended to supply the 
 wants and provide for the comfort of many very 
 many others. 
 
 "I do give to my Housekeeper Catherine Cushing 
 five hundred dollars in return for her great and 
 useful services kindly afforded to me during my 
 late long Confinement. 
 
198 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "My House furniture my Stock and Family Wine 
 and my Silver family plate I have given and directed 
 the delivery of by my Executors in and by my letter 
 to them dated March the ninth 1816 and herewith 
 put up and to my directions so given I enjoin a 
 strict compliance on the part of my Executors. 
 
 "It is my Will that all Bonds or Notes of hand 
 which I now have or may hereafter receive from 
 either of the Legatees above named or from the 
 Husband of such Legatee or from either of my sons 
 who may be herein after Named and Appointed as 
 my Executors whether Such Bond or note has been 
 assigned by me for the use of any other person or 
 persons or not shall be fully paid and discharged by 
 a deduction to be made from my Legacy or Legacies 
 I have herein given to the obligors severally or to 
 the wife of such obligor and Legatee unless the 
 same is otherwise paid off and discharged. 
 
 "As to either of my sons herein Appointed an 
 Executor to this my Will and who now is or may be 
 so as above indebted to me on Bond or note he is 
 not considered by me nor shall he be exonerated 
 and released from the full payment and discharged 
 of such his obligation or note for or by reason of his 
 being named or appointed an Executor to this my 
 Will any Laws or Construction of Laws or rule of 
 Court to the Contrary Notwithstanding. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 1 99 
 
 " I give to each of my Executors herein after named 
 the Sum of Three hundred and seventy five Pounds 
 as a compensation for the full execution of the trust 
 and duty of an Executor to this my Will and the 
 discharge of the Trusts committed to them thereby. 
 
 "After all my Debts and Legacies given in and by 
 my Will or by any Codicil I may affix thereto are 
 fully paid and discharged I do give devise and be- 
 queath all the rest residue and remainder of my 
 Estate real and personal of what nature or kind 
 soever and wheresoever the same may be to my 
 four sons Thomas Mayne Willing George Willing 
 Richard Willing and William S. Willing or to such 
 of them my said four sons as may survive me their 
 respective heirs executors and administrators for- 
 ever share and share alike as Tenants in Common. 
 
 "Further least any unexpected demand shall be 
 made on my Estate or unforseen loss shall happen 
 thereto by which my residuary Estate Shall be 
 wholly absorbed and rendered unable to discharge 
 my debts and pay Cash Legacies as above directed 
 I do hereby direct and it is my Will that a Sale 
 Shall be made by my Executors of the whole or 
 such part thereof as may be necessary of My Lands 
 or estate in the Eighteen Districts Westward of the 
 Susquehannah River given to my nine Children or 
 their representatives in the former part of my 
 
200 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 will and that the produce of such sale or so much 
 thereof as may be requisite and sufficient to dis- 
 charge the said debts and legacies shall be applied 
 to supply the deficiency after my said residuary 
 Estate has been wholly applied for such purpose 
 It being my desire to preserve from diminution all 
 my Estate in the City and County of Philadelphia 
 and in the County of Centre. 
 
 "And Lastly I do nominate and appoint my four 
 sons Thomas Mayne Willing, George Willing Rich- 
 ard WilHng and William S. Willing to be the Execu- 
 tors of this my last Will and Testament fully and 
 with entire confidence trusting to their attention 
 and faithful discharge of the trust I have committed 
 to and repose in them and each of them my beloved 
 Sons. — 
 
 "Having thus fully and I hope clearly expressed 
 my Will and intentions by this Instrument on the 
 four preceding and on this page all ntimbered from 
 one to five inclusive and each page by me sub- 
 scribed I do hereby declare the Same to be my 
 last Will and Testament revoking and hereby de- 
 claring all other Wills and Testaments by me 
 heretofore made to be null and void In Witness 
 Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal 
 this second day of December in the Year of our 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 201 
 
 Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty 
 1820. 
 
 Thos. Willing. 
 
 "Signed Sealed Published and de- 
 clared by the Above Named Thomas 
 Willing the Testator to be his last Will 
 and Testament in the Presence of us 
 at whose request in whose Presence 
 and in the Presence of each other We 
 Subscribe our names as Witnesses 
 thereto Note namely Elizabeth Mar- 
 garet and Susan in the Eighth line from 
 the top of the fifth page being first in- 
 terlined and the erazure in the thir- 
 teenth line from the bottom in the 
 fourth page respecting Two Thousand 
 Dollars United States Loan being first 
 Made — 
 
 T. Mitchell 
 
 Horatio Rawle 
 
 A. D. Cash 
 
 " Philadelphia January 29th 1821, Then Personally 
 appeared Thomas Mitchell, Horatio Rawle and 
 Andrew D. Cash the Witnesses to the aforegoing 
 
202 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 Will and on their solemn affirmation according to 
 
 law did declare and say that they did see and hear 
 
 Thomas Willing the Testator in the said Will 
 
 named sign seal publish & declare the Same as and 
 
 for his last Will and Testament and that at the 
 
 doing thereof he was of sound mind and memory 
 
 & understanding to the best of their knowledge 
 
 & belief.— 
 
 Coram 
 
 Edmund Rogers 
 
 Deputy Register. 
 "WHEREAS by an oversight I gave in my Afore- 
 going Will to my Grandson Thomas Willing 
 Junior a Legacy of Twenty shares of the United 
 States Bank stock heretofore held by me But 
 which twenty shares of same Stock I had sold 
 some time since which sale is an ademption of 
 said Legacy and makes the Same null and void I 
 do therefore give to the said Thomas Willing Junior 
 the further sum of Two thousand Dollars in Cash 
 in lieu and as an equivalent for the Said Twenty 
 shares of United States Bank stock subject how- 
 ever to the payment of all Bonds and Notes of 
 the Said Thomas Willing Junior given to and held 
 by me at the time of my decease and I do direct 
 that these Presents be taken as a Codicil to and a 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 203 
 
 part of my aforegoing Will In Witness Whereof 
 I have hereunto set my hand and seal this second 
 day of December in the year of our Lord One 
 thousand eight hundred and twenty 1820. — 
 
 Thos. Willing. 
 
 "Signed Sealed Published and De- 
 clared by the above named Thomas 
 Willing the Testator to be a Codicil to 
 his last Will and Testament in the 
 Presence of us at whose request in 
 whose presence and in the presence of 
 each other we subscribe our names as 
 witnesses thereto — 
 
 T. Mitchell 
 
 A. D. Cash. 
 
 "Philadelphia January 29th 1821. Then Person- 
 ally appeared Thomas Mitchell and Andrew D. 
 Cash the witnesses to the above Codicil and on 
 their Solemn Affirmation according to Law did de- 
 clare and say that they did see & hear Thomas 
 Willing the Testator in the said Codicil named 
 sign seal publish and declare the Same as and for 
 a Codicil to his last Will and Testament and that 
 at the doing thereof he was of sound mind memory 
 
204 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 and understanding to the best of their knowledge 
 & beUef.— 
 
 Coram 
 
 Edmund Rogers 
 Deputy Register. 
 
 "I, THOMAS WILLING of the City of Philadel- 
 phia do make and execute this instrument of writing 
 to be the Codicil to my last Will and Testament to 
 which I have caused the same to be annexed. 
 
 " FIRST I do hereby revoke and make void all that 
 part of my Said last Will and Testament in which I 
 have given and devised to my son William Shippen 
 Willing and to his Heirs All those my two Estates 
 Situate in Front Street between Walnut and Chest- 
 nut Streets in the Said City of Philadelphia to- 
 gether with all the Rights and Privileges thereunto 
 belonging and all the buildings and improvements 
 thereon one of the Said Estates being late in the 
 tenure of William Leedom on which there is also a 
 dwelling house and stable occupied by Patrick 
 Carson And the other of the said Estates being now 
 occupied by the said William S. Willing as a dwell- 
 ing house and I do also revoke all that part of my 
 said last Will and Testament in which I have given 
 and devised unto my said son William and his heirs 
 all that Pasture Lot of ground situate on Hudsons 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 205 
 
 Lane in the Township of Moyamensing in the County 
 of Philadelphia containing Six Acres and a half more 
 less. And I do hereby give devise and bequeath 
 all and each of the Above described premises unto 
 my sons Thomas Mayne Willing George Willing 
 and to my Son in Law Richards Peters Junior and 
 to the survivors and survivor of them and to the 
 heirs of such survivor To Have and to Hold the 
 same In trust for the following uses and purposes 
 Viz: that they the said Trustees and the survivors 
 and survivor of them and the heirs of such sur- 
 vivor shall have take and receive the Rents, 
 Issues and Profits of all and each of the said prem- 
 ises as they Shall arise and become due for and dur- 
 ing the life of my said son William for the support 
 of his family and the maintenance and education 
 of his children now or hereafter to be born and as 
 the same shall be so had taken and received by them 
 the said Trustees after deducting all reasonable 
 charges and expenses incurred in the execution of 
 this trust to pay over the Same to my said Son Wil- 
 liam for the support of his family and the mainten- 
 ance support and education of his children and the 
 receipts for the same given by my said son William 
 shall be the only Acquittances for the performance 
 of said trust and further In trust that if my said son 
 
206 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 William shall survive his Wife Maria and shall live 
 till any one of his Children now born and which may 
 be bom hereafter shall attain the age of Twenty one 
 years then the Said Trustees Shall hold the Said 
 premises to and for such uses and purposes and 
 subject to such devise or devises as my said son 
 William may declare name and appoint in an}^ last 
 Will and Testament he may duly make and execute 
 and also In trust that if my said son William shall 
 die leaving no Widow or Child and Intestate that 
 then the said trustees shall hold the Said premises 
 to and for the use of such of my other Children as 
 may be living at the time of my decease and of the 
 Heirs of such Children to have and enjoy the same 
 as Tenants in Common and not as joint tenants And 
 also on the further trust that if my said son William 
 should die before either of his children now or here- 
 after to be bom shall arrive at the age of Twenty 
 one Years and before his Said Wife Maria then it is 
 my Will and intention that they the Said Trustees 
 or a majority of them then living Shall sell and dis- 
 pose of and by Deed or Deeds grant and Convey the 
 Said premises in fee simple to any person or persons 
 either at Public or private sale and the monies which 
 shall arise from such sale shall be by them disposed 
 of in manner following Viz: Two hundred Pounds 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 20/ 
 
 part thereof shall be forthwith paid over to Maria 
 the Wife of my said son for her own use and benefit 
 and the remaining part of the monies produced by 
 such sale to be equally divided among the Children 
 of my said son William when they severally shall 
 arrive at the age of Twenty one years And untill 
 they shall so attain the age of Twenty one years 
 their respective parts of said monies Shall be placed 
 at interest and the interest thereof when the Same 
 Shall be received by the said trustees shall be paid 
 over to the said Maria during her widowhood only 
 for the maintenance and Education of the said 
 Children of my said son William And if either of the 
 said Children shall die before he or she shall attain 
 the age of Twenty one years leaving no Issue then 
 the part or portion of him or her so dying shall go 
 to and be equally divided among the surviving 
 Children of my said son and as soon as each or 
 either of the said Children of my said son shall attain 
 the age of Twenty one years the part or portion of 
 the said monies to such Child belonging shall be 
 paid to such Child by the Said Trustees And the 
 right of the Said Maria to receive the Interest on 
 the same shall cease and determine as shall also 
 cease her right to receive the interest or any part 
 of the Said remaining monies should she marry 
 
208 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 again and also In trust that if my Said son Wil- 
 liam and Maria his Wife Shall die before either 
 of their Children now born or hereafter to be 
 bom shall attain the age of Twenty one years or 
 if he the said William shall die leaving no widow and 
 after any one of his Children shall attain the age of 
 twenty one years he having made no last Will 
 and Testament then and in either such cases the 
 said Trustees or a majority of them for the time 
 being and the survivor of them his heirs or assigns 
 shall and may sell and dispose of the said Prem- 
 ises in fee simple at any time they shall deem 
 most advantageous and the proceeds of such sales 
 shall be equally divided among the said Children 
 and shall be paid over to them as they severally 
 attain the age of Twenty one years and also In trust 
 that if my said son William Should die without 
 leaving issue leaving his Wife Maria that then they 
 the said Trustees or a majority of them for the time 
 being shall sell and dispose of the Said premises and 
 the proceeds thereof shall go to and be enjoyed Two 
 hundred Pounds part thereof by the said Maria and 
 the residue of said Proceeds shall be equally divided 
 Among such of my other Children as shall be alive at 
 the time of my death and if any one of such my Chil- 
 dren as shall be alive at the time of my death shall 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 209 
 
 die before the arrival of said Contingency then the 
 part or portion of such Child shall go to and be en- 
 joyed by his or her Heirs and in order the better to 
 enable the said Trustees or a majority of them for 
 the time being to execute the several trusts here- 
 inbefore set forth and described and to dispose of 
 any part or parts of the Said trust Estate should 
 they deem it advantageous so to do in fee simple or 
 Ground Rent or otherwise I do hereby give and grant 
 to them or a majority of them for the time being and 
 the survivor of them and the Heirs of such Survivor 
 full power and Authority to make execute and de- 
 liver such Lease and Leases as may be requisite and 
 also such deed or deeds as may be necessary to vest 
 any part or parts thereof in the purchaser or pur- 
 chasers of the same his her or their heirs and as- 
 signs in fee simple or for any lesser Estate for the 
 best price or prices or the greatest annual rent 
 charges that can or may be reasonably had or gotten 
 for any part or parts of same trust Estate and the 
 monies produced by any sale or sales to reinvest in 
 the purchase of other Estate and Property and to re- 
 serve the ground rents charged on any part of same 
 Estates In trust for the like uses intents and purposes 
 that are herein before mentioned and expressed of 
 and concerning the trust Estates aforesaid. 
 
210 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "And I do hereby direct my Executors in my 
 said last Will and Testament named to pay out of 
 the residuary part of my Estate unto my Sons 
 Thomas Mayne Willing George Willing and my Son 
 in Law Richard Peters Junior the Sum of Eighteen 
 hundred Pounds in Trust for the follbwing uses and 
 purposes to wit to put the same out at Interest 
 or invest the same in Six per Cent Stocks as they 
 may think most advantageous and the Interest 
 or dividends on the same as they may be received 
 to pay over to my son William during his life for 
 the support of his family and the maintenance 
 education and support of his Children and after 
 his decease I give the said Sum of Eighteen hun- 
 dred Pounds to such of the said Trustees as may 
 then be living for their own Use share and share 
 alike and if neither of the said Trustees shall sur- 
 vive my said son William then the said last men- 
 tioned sum of money shall go to all and every the 
 Children of my said son bom and to be born share 
 and share alike. 
 
 "WHEREAS in the first page of my aforegoing 
 Will I devised to my Executors their heirs and 
 assigns my part share and Interest of and in about 
 One hundred and twenty two thousand Acres of 
 land purchased by William Bingham and myself 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 211 
 
 in the Eighteen Districts West of the River Susque- 
 hannah in Pennsylvania In trust for the purposes 
 therein mentioned by which devise my daughter 
 Elizabeth Jackson would become entitled to one 
 ninth part of the monies that may be produced 
 by a sale thereof or any part thereof made by my 
 Executors within ten years next after my decease 
 as therein mentioned Now I do revoke so much 
 of the said Trust only as relates to my said Daugh- 
 ters part share and proportion of the monies that 
 may be produced by a sale of same lands within 
 ten years after my decease as aforesaid and in 
 lieu thereof I do give to my Executors and the sur- 
 vivors and survivor of them and the executors 
 administrators and assigns of such Survivor all 
 the monies which my said Daughter would have 
 been entitled to under the said trust had this Codi- 
 cil not been made In trust and Confidence never- 
 theless to place the said monies out at Interest 
 or invest the Same in Six per Cent Stock of the 
 United States and to receive the Interest thereof 
 and pay over the same half Yearly to my Daughter 
 Elizabeth Jackson for her separate use during her 
 life And for which her own receipts only notwith- 
 standing her Coverture shall be sufficient in the 
 law And so that the same and every part thereof 
 
212 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 shall not be in the power or subject to the debts 
 Controul or engagements of her husband or of 
 any other person whatever and at the decease of 
 my said daughter all the said Monies which she 
 would have been entitled to under the first men- 
 tioned trust had this Codicil not been made and 
 the Stocks and Mortgages in which the same may 
 be invested shall go and I do give the same in the 
 same way and manner as in the second page of 
 my Will is mentioned and expressed of and Con- 
 cerning the Legacy of Sixteen hundred Pounds 
 thereby given to my Executors In trust. 
 
 "AND WHEREAS in my last Will and Testa- 
 ment as well as in this Codicil I have assigned to 
 my Executors and to other persons named therein 
 various duties as trustees and otherwise of the 
 due and faithful performance of which I have no 
 doubt but believe that the said trusts and duties 
 will be performed with the best discretion of them 
 the said Executors and others and ought not to 
 expose them or either of them to any personal 
 responsibilities It is therefore declared by me and 
 I direct the Same may be received and taken as 
 part of my last Will and Testament and of this 
 Codicil that the performance of said trusts and 
 duties of the Said Executors and trustees according 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 213 
 
 to their best discretion and judgment shall be a 
 full and Complete acquital of them and each of 
 them from all Liabilities responsibilities claims 
 and demands whatever And I do hereby enjoin 
 and desire all those for whom my said Executors 
 or the said Trustees may Act in the Premises to 
 receive and consider the performance of the said 
 trusts and duties in manner aforesaid as a full 
 and entire performance of my Said last Will and 
 Testament and of this Codicil and a full com- 
 pliance with all my intentions In Witness I have 
 hereunto set my hand and seal this second Day 
 of December in the year of our Lord One thou- 
 sand eight hundred and twenty 1820. 
 
 "Thos. Willing. (skZH 
 
 "Signed sealed published and de- 
 clared by the above named Thomas 
 Willing the Testator as and for a Codi- 
 cil to his last Will and Testament in 
 the Presence of Us at whose request 
 in whose presence and in the presence 
 of each other we subscribe our Names 
 as Witnesses thereto. 
 
 T. Mitchell 
 
 Horatio Rawle 
 
 A. D. Cash. 
 
214 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Philadelphia January 29th 1821. Then Person- 
 ally Thomas Mitchell Horatio Rawle and Andrew 
 D. Cash the witnesses to the aforegoing Codicil 
 and on their solemn Affirmation According to Law 
 did declare & Say that they did see & hear Thomas 
 Willing the Testator in the Said Codicil named 
 sign seal publish & declare the same as & for a 
 Codicil to his last Will and Testament and that 
 at the doing there of he was of sound Mind Memory 
 & imderstanding to the best of their knowledge & 
 belief. — 
 
 Coram 
 
 Edmund Rogers 
 Deputy Register. 
 ** Thomas May ne Willing, George Willing, Richard 
 Willing, & William S. Willing, the Executors 
 sworn the same day & Letters Testamentary 
 granted unto them. 
 
 *'Will Book No. 7. pp. 229-239. 
 
 "Philadelphia, Pa." 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 215 
 
 ADDENDA. 
 
 Thomas Willing to Mr. Charles Willing." 
 "Dear brother 
 
 "M^ Forrest has delivered me a Certificate 
 for £173-12/- Issued by the Comp*'. Gen', in 
 lieu of the old one granted to Patterson & also 
 a draft on the Treasury for the Int^ for 5 year's 
 amo*. to £52-1-8- Curr^ of the last Emission, 
 w^. waits your order in my hands — 
 
 ''I have also enabled Mess'^^ D & C. to pay 
 your first draft for D'^ 340; & have this day 
 paid off y^ order to M"" Caner 160 Dollars — the 
 ballance you'l draw on me for, as occasions may 
 require at maturity I shall get the other draft 
 paid off in the same way I suppose — 
 
 ** Tommy retum'd home last Even^. and tells 
 me that you are mend^. fast in health & Strength; 
 god grant you may obtain a perfect recovery — 
 with care and wholesome Country Air, much 
 may be expected, and I hope will be effected 
 too — 
 
 *^ Volume of Swift and Willing Letters (Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
2l6 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 "Our very dear Sister, has a flattering prospect 
 of relief, if not a perfect cure — for my part, I 
 am perswaded she will be restored compleatly. 
 She has suffered greatly, has born it with the 
 greatest fortitude, & really deserve 's a Cure — All 
 the rest of our Circle are well — I hope Lizzy is 
 getting better, & that Charles has had no return 
 of his fever — I hope he will stick to the plough 
 now he has undertaken a Country life, & y". 
 you'l have the Credit of making him a compleat 
 farmer — 
 
 "Adieu! 
 
 I am ever your's 
 
 Tho'. Willing. 
 "Bank Sept^ iS^'^ 1786." 
 Superscription — 
 
 "M^ Charles Willing 
 ^* Coventry 
 
 Chester County." 
 
willing letters and papers. 21 7 
 
 Thomas Willing to the Spanish Commissioners 
 Regarding the Rate of Exchange.*'* 
 
 "Bank of the United States 
 
 "January 23d. 1793 
 "Gentlemen 
 
 "Agreeable to your request I have communicated 
 the letter which you honoured me with the i8th. 
 Inst, to the Directors of the Bank, together with 
 your further proposal made to me on Saturday 
 last, respecting an Assurance of indemnity to you 
 against any difference or loss which cou'd possibly 
 take place in the value of the Spanish dollar. 
 
 "I have now the pleasure to inform you that we 
 are ready to receive your draft on New York, & 
 that we will readily receive and transport to this 
 Bank free of cost, any money you have in New 
 York, that I am authorized to assure you, that 
 whatever sum of money you now have, or may 
 have in this Bank after the arrival of the above 
 sum from New York, shall be all packed up and 
 paid to your order at any time, on three days' 
 Notice, in Spanish milled dollars to the full amount 
 of whatever sum you may then have in our posses- 
 sion, and that you shall not be subject to any loss 
 
 ®*MS. letter in the possession of Charles Willing, Esq^, son of 
 the late Richard Lloyd Willing, Esqr. 
 
 .'7' 
 
21 8 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 by any change which can hereafter be established 
 by pubHc authority respecting the value of the 
 Spanish dollar. 
 
 "I have the honor to be, Sir's, for the 
 President Directors & Company of the 
 Bank of the United States 
 "Your most Obedt. 
 
 "Thos. Willing Prest. 
 "The Commissioners 
 of His Catholic Majesty." 
 
 Thomas Willing to M''. John Nicholson Esq".**^ 
 "Sir 
 
 "Your Stock A/C*. stands Credited w^. four 
 Shares of Stock, & the Certificates have as we 
 suppose, been in Course deliver'd to you, because 
 its the practice with Us to do so — 
 
 "If you can make proof on Oath that they 
 have been lost, or otherwise mislaid so that you 
 can't come at them — And will Advertise in one 
 or more of the Public Papers for Six Weeks the 
 No. &c; It will then be agreeable to the rules 
 of this Institution to Issue to you a fresh Certifi- 
 cate after w^. you may transfer the same — 
 
 ®^Volvime of Swift and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 219 
 
 '*No transfer can be admitted without the 
 
 Certificate is presented, nor if the Party is in 
 
 debt to the Bank — 
 
 I am Sir y^ Obed'. 
 
 THO^ Willing Pres^. 
 "Bank U. S. 
 
 feby 6^^. 1795. 
 
 "Jn°. Nicholson EsQ^" 
 
 Superscription 
 
 ''John Nicholson, Esq". 
 
 "Present." 
 
 Thomas Willing — to his daughter 
 Mrs. Clymer.*^* 
 
 "My very dear Molly 
 
 "I congratulate you on the coming in of a 
 new year; & most sincerely do I wish you, and 
 y^ little family, much good health, and the most 
 perfect happiness thro', the Course of this, & 
 many succeeding One's — 
 
 "You are favour'd in the possession of a fine 
 healthy & lovely babe — She is a pleasing addition 
 to the Number of my descendants, & most 
 heartily welcome to my family Circle. I hope 
 
 ®® Volume of Swifi and Willing Letters (Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
220 WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 
 
 she may ever deserve your attachment and tender 
 
 affections, as well as you have done mine. 
 
 "I send you under this Cover, One hund**. & 
 
 Sixty dollars in bank Notes — Accept them as an 
 
 Annual offering for Pin" & Pocket Money — It is a 
 
 tribute of affection, from a heart devoted to 
 
 your comfort & happiness; and which from the 
 
 warmth of it's feelings & attachment, cou'd here 
 
 add with sincerity many tender expressions of 
 
 regard; such as are often used at the close of a 
 
 letter, from those who love, to those who are 
 
 much, & tenderly beloved; but these are quite 
 
 unnecessary from 
 
 Your friend & father 
 
 THO^ Willing." 
 "Jan'^ 6*^ 1796 
 
 "Mary Clymer 
 
 Superscription — "Mrs Mary Clymer 
 
 2^ Street." 
 
 Thomas Willing to Chas. W. Hare, Esq.®^ 
 "Dear Charles — 
 
 "I receiv'd your letter a few days ago, in 
 which you kindly offer to attend to my land 
 concerns in Northampton County, which I hold 
 
 ^^ Volume of Swijt and Willing Letters {Balch Papers) in the 
 Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 
WILLING LETTERS AND PAPERS. 221 
 
 in equal share with M'. Binghams Estate — I 
 have paid a large Sum for those lands, as 
 desired so to do by M^ Bingham from time to 
 time — of those payments, my Son T. M. W^. 
 has the Account, & will show it to you, that it 
 may be known, whether I have been deficient as 
 to my proportion of the Costs hitherto — 
 
 "As to any settlement now to be made with 
 either of the Grantors; you will please to confer 
 with my Son Tho^ M. Willing, & do for my 
 part, what you do for M^ Binghams Estate — 
 And I do hereby engage and bind myself, & my 
 heirs, to confirm, and abide by such arrangement 
 as you may make — 
 
 "I will also pay my share of any future costs 
 you may engage for, to assure my Title to those 
 Lands — and am with 
 
 "Sincere affection 
 
 "Y". THO^ Willing 
 "Philad^ 
 
 "Jan"^. 28*^ 1806— 
 
 "Charles W. Hare EsQ^" 
 Superscription 
 
 ''Charles W. Hare Esq\ 
 "4*^ Street 
 
 Philad^" 
 
APPENDIX. 223 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Address and Remonstrance of the Subscribers, 
 
 Inhabitants of the City and Liberties of 
 
 Philadelphia, May, 1776.*^* 
 
 The following remonstrance to the Honourable 
 the House of Assembly, which was yesterday 
 agreed to at a meeting of a respectable number 
 of the inhabitants of this city and liberties, and 
 is now signing by them, is earnestly recommended 
 to the inhabitants of the different counties of the 
 province, that in this, or some similar manner, 
 they may express their sentiments upon the protest 
 referred to May 22, 1776. 
 
 To the Hon., the Representatives of the 
 Freemen of the province of Pennsylvania, in 
 Assembly met 
 
 The Address and Remonstrance of the Sub- 
 scribers, Inhabitants of the City and Liberties 
 of Philadelphia: 
 
 Whereas to our great affliction we find that a 
 paper has been presented to the House, stiled 
 ''The Protest of divers inhabitants of this 
 
 ^* Pennsylvania Gazette, May 22nd, 1776, No. 2474, page 3, cols. 1 
 and 2. 
 
224 APPENDIX. 
 
 province," said to be "in behalf of themselves 
 and others," the purport of which is to subvert 
 and change the constitution of this government, 
 upon sundry allegations- which we cannot conceive 
 to be well founded; and whereas we think it 
 an indispensible duty to ourselves and our 
 posterity, to claim and support our birthright 
 in the charter and wise laws of Pennsylvania, 
 either consented to by ourselves, or delivered 
 down to us by our ancestors, as far as may be 
 possible, without injury to the public cause of 
 America, during the present distressed situation 
 of our affairs: We do therefore remonstrate 
 against the said protest, for the following 
 reasons : 
 
 1st. Because it holds up the Resolve of the 
 Congress, of the 15th. instant, as an absolute 
 injunction for the "taking up and establishing 
 new governments throughout all the united colonies, 
 under the authority of the people." Whereas 
 said resolve is only a conditional recommendation 
 "to the respective Assemblies and Conventions 
 of the United Colonies, where no government 
 sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs has been 
 established, to adopt such governments as shall, 
 in the opinion of the Representatives of the People, 
 
APPENDIX. 225 
 
 best conduce to the happiness and safety of 
 their constituents in particular, and America in 
 general. And here it is obvious to remark, 
 that in this and every other resolve of Congress, 
 where, ''Assemblies and Conventions'' are referred 
 to, it must be intended (and the practice has 
 been accordingly) that wherever Assemblies exist, 
 and can meet as the ancient constitutional 
 bodies in their respective colonies, the public 
 business is to be carried on by them, and by 
 Conventions, only in those urgent cases where 
 arbitrary Governors, by prorogations and dissolu- 
 tions, prevent the Representatives of the People 
 from sitting to deliberate on their own affairs, 
 or have subverted the constitutions, by abdicating 
 their offices, and levying war against these 
 colonies. That the assembly of this province 
 cannot be prorogued or dissolved; that they have 
 been exceeded by no province in their noble 
 exertions in the common cause of liberty; that 
 by the Resolve of Congress, who have never 
 interferred in the domestic police {sic) of the 
 colonies, the Representatives of the People are 
 left as the sole judges, whether their governments 
 be "sufficient for the exigencies of their affairs" 
 or not; That our courts of law are open, justice 
 
226 APPENDIX. 
 
 has been administered with a due attention to 
 our circumstances, and large sums of money 
 issued, the credit of which might be shaken, 
 and nimiberless confusions ensue, from innova- 
 tions hastily or unnecessarily made. 
 2d. We remonstrate against the said Protest, 
 as setting on foot a measure which tends to 
 disunion, and must damp the zeal of multitudes 
 of the good people of Pennsylvania in the 
 common cause, who, having a high veneration 
 for their civil and religious rights, as secured 
 by our charter, never conceived, when they 
 engaged, among other things, for the support 
 of the charter rights of another colony, that 
 they would be called upon to make a sacrifice of 
 their own charter. Nor can we now see anything 
 in our situation which requires such an unequal 
 sacrifice, while other colonies, particularly Connec- 
 ticut and Rhode Island, the authority of whose 
 Assemblies is the same way derived by charter 
 as ours, continue their ancient forms of govern- 
 ment by these bodies, without Conventions. 
 
 That whatever temporary alteration in forms 
 the urgency of affairs, or the authority of the 
 people, can be conceived to justify or render 
 expedient, that authority is fully vested in our 
 
APPENDIX. 227 
 
 Representatives in Assembly freely and annually 
 chosen. 
 
 Six parts in seven of your body are, by our 
 inestimable charter, vested with the power of 
 determining this matter. We look to you, as 
 entrusted with the conservation of our rights, 
 and are firmly of opinion, that your constituents 
 in general will chearfully be governed by what- 
 ever your wisdom may ordain in the present 
 exigency . . . humbly recommending it to you 
 always to keep in mind, that in times of con- 
 fusion every change should be cautiously adopted, 
 and only such made as are absolutely necessary. 
 In which particular the province of South 
 Carolina (when impelled by necessity) has set a 
 laudable example, regulating themselves with a 
 view towards, and only until, "an accommoda- 
 tion of the unhappy differences between Great 
 Britain and America can be obtained, an event 
 which" though traduced and treated as rebels 
 they still profess earnestly to desire. 
 
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