Germantown, 14th Decr: 1781. Dear Sir,

Presuming upon your friendship, I have mentioned your name, in a Lettr. to the Governor. I must beg your attention to it, as there is nothing else, in which you can so essentially serve me. Inclosed you have all the necessary papers, as I think, for forming a fair judgement. That man who has been treated worse than I have been, it had been well for him, if he had never been born (as it relates to this World). I hold no malice, but the affair must be Settled in some way or other, & I wish for the most fair & peaceable. You shall be paid for your trouble, be the event what it may.

Miss Eunice was a little better yesterday. My repects attend Mrs. Paine, & love to the Children.

I remain, with great Esteem yr. Friend &c &c. J: Palmer

RC ; addressed: “The Honble: Robert-Treat Paine Esqr: Boston”; endorsed. There are three enclosures with this letter: (1) Copy of deposition of Joseph Palmer, John Johnson, Aaron Cleaveland, Samuel Searborough, Ebenezer Searborough, and Joseph Tyler, dated Pomfret, Oct. 9, 1780, entrusting sealed packets of bonds, deeds, mortgages, and other papers, to John Hancock; (2) Copy of letter from Joseph Palmer to John Hancock, dated Germantown, Dec. 11, 1781; and (3) “A state of facts,” dated Dec. 11, 1781, concerning the Pomfret Purchase.

Nantes Janry. 5 1782 Sir,

I1 find by Mr. Williams acct. that the Julius Cesar, was full and could not take the Goods I purchased for your acct. & my own, altho the Captain had promised me. Therefore as my Bussiness called me to Paris, he prevailed on Capt. St. Barbe to take a part of yours to the amount of 437.10 & Charges, the remainder that I purchased he shipt on my acct. on board the Dauphine bound for Baltimore, which, unfortunately was Captur’d 14 Days after sailing and I being at Paris had no Insurance the goods purchased for myself being bound for Boston, but turn’d in that 184 way.2 At present there is the Brigt. Hety Capt. Roberts who will sail for Boston in about 14 Days. I have Wrote to Paris for the Articles that comes Best from there, and shall Compleat your order. Am very sorry for your & my Disappointment.

I am Sir your Most obedient servant Jeremiah Allen

RC ; internal address: “Honble. Robt. T. Paine Esqr. Boston.”

1.

Jeremiah Allen (1750–1809) was at this time European agent for the family merchant business and later high sheriff of Suffolk County (Andrew Oliver, Ann Millspaugh Huff, and Edward W. Hanson, Portraits in the Massachusetts Historical Society [Boston, 1988], 9).

2.

The Dauphine was apparently recovered eventually as its sailing for Baltimore was reported in a letter from Nantes, Dec. 5, 1782 (Independent Gazetteer [Philadelphia], Feb. 25, 1783).