Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
LETTERS FROM THE LETTER BOOK OF HERBERT JARRETT JAMES
The following extracts are from the letter Book of Herbert Jarrett James, a Master in Ordinary in the Court of Chancery in Jamaica (individual #130 in the Descendants of Richard James 2.) These letters have been selected as they concern an annuity on the estates of Rose Hall and Palmyra payable to the widow of John Palmer, Mrs Rebecca Weeks (individual #103 in the Descendants of Richard James). Her daughter, Marianne, had married Philip Haughton James a distant cousin of Herbert Jarrett James
See ROSE HALL - DEATH OF A LEGEND By Geoffrey S. Yates for the background to this correspondence
To Philip H James Esq
My Dear Sir
It is with much pleasure that I acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 9th October last and I most cordially join with you in hoping that we shall no longer be strangers to each other but that the acquaintance which has now commenced may ere long ripen into friendship grounded upon the family connection which I am pleased to learn is acknowledged by you - to Mrs Weekes I have been long known but she had left the Country before my return to it - as a Master in Cha her affairs were put into my hands by Mr W Murray many years back and in the a/cs of the Recr are still passed in my office I am perfectly acquainted with every circumstance relating to Rose Hall and Palmyra Estates from whence her annuities are derived, so that even should I be obliged to substitute another person under the idea that it would be incompatible for me to act as her Atty at the same time that I am Master in the Cause, I can still attend to her interests on the passing of the Receivers a/cs and as for such information as may be useful in recovering her rights, in the latter event it is my intention to call upon my friend & relation W M Kerr of Trelawny & St James as I well know his integrity & exertions may be confidently relied on, and whose conduct will I have not the least doubt assure every satisfaction to Mrs Weekes - Mr Palmers A/cs as Recv to Dec 1824 are now in progress, but the balance is not yet correctly ascertained altho it will be in the course of a few days, the proceeds of the Sugars consigned to Mr Ancrum & alluded to by you have been credited by him altho the amount had been applied without his consent to the reduction of his private debt and I am in daily expectation of receiving his further a/cs to the end of last year his intimate friend & advisor who was in town about 10 days ago informed me that he was prepared for the payment of one yrs Annuity to Mrs Weekes so soon as power arrived but my application cannot be made before the departure of the post on Saturday next, in consequence of a long series of Drought the Estates for 2 or 3 years netted little or nothing after payment of the contingent Charges, this year the Crops were I understand much better and as the price of produce is somewhat improved I trust to make you a remittance very shortly which I shall forward to our mutual friend Mr Hawthorn, as it would cause some delay as well as risk were it to be sent direct to you. I shall endeavour to obtain a Consignment to him for the future if at all events a part of the Crops sufficient for the payment of the annuity agreeable to your wishes - the representative of Messrs Mountague has been very observant of Mr Palmers proceedings & consulted Counsell upon the propriety of petitioning for his removal from the receivership but the grounds for so doing were not considered sufficiently strong. I shall therefore urge an amicable arrangement unless upon inquiry I should discover that his management is injudicious or extravagant
I now beg leave to tender you & Mrs Weekes my sincere thanks for the Confidence reposed in me I trust that I may be fortunate enough to give satisfaction by my humble endeavours to promote her interests
18.12.1826
15
To J R Palmer Esq Rose Hall Little River
S T
Dr Sir
I mentioned to Mr Phillpotts when he was in Town my expectation of receiving a power from Mrs Weekes to apply for payment of her Annuities & arrears - it had since come to hand & I shall be obliged by your informing me what funds you have at command to meet her Claims & when you will be prepared to pay the money It is her wish that part of the annual Crops of Rose Hall & Palmyra Estates should be Consigned to Messrs Hawthorn & Ogilvie of London as her Agents to which I should hope there would not be any objection on your part I have to apologize for not having ascertained the exact balance of your A/cs but the protraction of the Sessions has prevented my attending to them lately
I am
23.12.1826
16
To J R Palmer Esq
Dr Sir
It affords me much satisfaction to learn from your favor of the 26th Instant that the present appointments of Mrs Weekes meets you approbation, and it shall be my endeavour so long as I act as her Attorney to avoid putting either party to further expense in vexatious law proceedings, if they are to be prosecuted I must hand over the power as I have informed her Son in law Mr Philip H James to W M Kerr, whose duty it will be to follow her instructions, & who I doubt not will do her justice, she wishes as I before mentioned to receive a "portion of the Crop with endorsed Bills of Lading towards the payment of her Annuities which produce is to be sent to Hawthorn & Ogilvie of London" a measure which I should rather have thought would have been desirable to you in as much as it would relieve you from repeated applications for payment and any anxiety as to the sale of the Bills you would be obliged to draw upon the net proceeds of the Consignments which may be taken or not as her representative may think proper - The payment of the mortgage if you recollect was the basis upon which your appointment was made & being now satisfied cannot be urged as a reason why you should make the Consignments to Strangers in preference to the persons nominated by the prior Claimants, & my intentions being amicable I must request your further consideration upon this point - I observe the shipments you have made this year & would recommend your directing your Correspondent in Liverpool to guarantee the payment by the purchasers of the Sugar consigned to that port
It is needless my entering upon the question as to the rights of Mrs Weekes & the Legatees to a sale of the properties for payment of their claims to the exclusion of your interest as Devised but would beg leave to remind you that sales for such purposes are decreed almost every Court - Bills are expected to be as a prem: of 20% Cy this pkt, by the last some were sold at 22.5 but they fell latterly & could be obtained at 20 - I should prefer an Order for £140 the amount of my Commn & a Bill for the balance, I shall be happy to see you in Town & should Mrs Palmer accompany you I beg to offer her the use of apartments & and accommodation my house can afford during her stay
I am
30.12.1826
16
To Philip H James
My Dear Sir
It is with much pleasure that I inform you of my having this day remitted to Messrs H & Ogilvie the first of J R Palmers bills of Ex on Messrs Dobson & Baker of London for £1582.17.2 St being for one years Annuity due to Mrs Weekes as p statement annexed, the expences of recording the power etc will be charged to her at a future day when the a/c is rendered - My report upon Mr Palmers a/cs to 31 Dec 24 is now complete by which it appears that there was there due to him a balance of £630.1.8h Cy the Estates not having netted sufficient to pay their Contingencies for 1823 or 1824 nor for 1825 by a sketch forwarded by him, last year they made about 20 hhd & "the prospects for his Crop are very promising", he appears satisfied that the power is in my hands & I have written to state that my intention of acting so long as the proceedings are amicable he cannot object to pay Mrs Weekes so long as he is in funds of which I shall at all times be able to judge - Mountagues have not lately taken any active measures but I have reason to believe that they will not remain quiet very long - I would therefore recommend Mrs W to avoid incurring further expense in litigation In respect Mr Palmer objects to the Consignments being made to her Agent as required by you & by the Order of Court it is altogether optional with him to ship the produce as he may think proper he is to be in town "in a few days when the matter will again come under discussion' from the tenor of his letter it would appear that he has been advised that the Annuitants and Legatees have not the power of bringing the properties to a sale for the payment of their Claims, in my reply I merely stated that Decrees for such purposes were made almost every Court without entering into any argument upon the subject, as no good could result therefrom & it will no doubt be well contested one of these days should he not change his opinion
With my respectful Compliments to Mrs Weekes
I am
6.1.1827
15 & 17
To J R Palmer Esq
Dr Sir
I am sorry to learn that I shall not have the pleasure of seeing you in this Town as you led me to expect being particularly desirous of having some conversation with you in respect to Mrs Weekes proposition for the Consignment of part of the Receivership produce to her merchants in payment of her annuity I beg to refer you to what I have already urged on that point & shall be obliged by your favouring me with your determination & reasons that they may be transmitted to her
If the prices obtained in this Country are equal to what may be expected from shipments to Great Britain & the payment undoubted, there can be no objection in my opinion to your selling the Sugars here but not being sufficiently acquainted with the nature of the latter proposition submitted to me I am unable to give an opinion upon that point
HJJ
17.2.1827
16
To J R Palmer Esq
Dr Sir
Anxious as I am to obtain a Consignment for Mess H & O I cannot consent to the terms upon which you offer it, whatever is customary I will agree to but not to fresh as would throw all the risk of loss upon Mrs Weekes upon settlement of doubtful debts they might be listened to - I am not aware who could object to the payment of the arrears of the Annuities accrued since 1819 as the Order under which you act there really provides for them out of the proceeds of the Receivership & besides there is no direction for liquidating those accrued previously indeed the latter form part of the subject matter of dispute in the present Suit if I am rightly informed at all events they cannot be allowed in your a/cs as Recr without the sanction of the Court - I should wish to know whether it is your intention to withhold the payment of what is now due to Mrs W for her Annuity from 1822 on the ground you mention should you have funds in you hands at any time unappropriated, as it is a step I never contemplated etc I must therefore acquaint her of it immediately
I am unwilling to recommend your accepting Mr Phillpotts proposal as I do not consider a Recr authorized to enter into any speculation with the Property intrusted to him and that may give rise to some demur at a future day as there is no preceding events
Caput Repar
3.3.1827
16
J R Palmer Esq
Spa Town
Dr Sr
I am favored with your letter of the 20th Instant and will communicate to Mrs Weekes such parts of the contents as require her concurrence and determination
My friends Messrs Hawthorn & Ogilvie have in their letter of the 8th Feby last expressed a great desire of becoming your Consignees in which capacity I have no doubt they would do you every justice and must of course attend in that capacity solely to your directions as to the application of the proceeds of the produce and as you have no friend of your own to whom you now Consign I really think it would be a beneficial arrangement for all parties until something conclusive is determined upon I am the more induced to urge this step having understood that your present Correspondents are not in that line of business in which they could have obtained much information as to the mode of transacting such concerns as you have intrusted to them however by this time you must have had an opportunity of ascertaining how far I am correct in my supposition
a/c Sales rcd glad to receive promised payment of Bills
22.3.1827
20
Mr P Esq
Dr Sir
In recommending my friend as well as those of Mrs Weekes I had no intention of urging anything unfavourable against any other persons & merely confined myself to such facts as had been detailed to me, the reasons you have assigned for Consigning to Messrs Dobson & Baker are such as must be approved of by all persons possessed of liberal feelings and [X] I have no hesitation in agreeing on behalf of Messrs Hawthorn & Ogilvie that they shall hold "one half of the Commes upon 100hhd of Sugar to be Consigned to them by you applicable to your order, the net proceeds to be applied in payment of the Annty to Mrs Weekes, or it might be better that at the proper period you drew a bill on them in her favor for the amount which I will remit and any surplus together with the 1/2 Comms to remain at your disposal [X], of this arrangement I shall send them the particulars by the present packet but I presume you will of course give them the necessary instructions for effecting Insurance etc I shall however at all times be glad to do anything that you may think requisite on my part
Yours etc
[X] to [X] sent to Hawthorn & Ogilvie 5th April 1827
31.3.1827
20
To P H James Esq
Spa Town
My Dr Sir
I beg leave to call Mrs Weekes attention to the foregoing (X) extract from a letter which I lately received from Mr Palmer & shall be obliged by her full & positive instructions how I am to act, in a previous letter he had informed me that he had reason to believe that objections would be raised to the payment of the Arrears of her Annuity accrued since his appointment, until the previous arrears were settled to which I replied that I was quite at a loss to conjecture who the party could be to whom he alluded as the order for his appointment expressly provided for the Annuity & I had understood that one of the objects of his bill had reference to the previous arrears, at all events as Master in the present Suit I could not allow any payments on a/c of the latter unless sanctioned by an Order of Court - I trust that I have at length secured a Consignment of 100hhds of Sugar to our friend Hawthorn under certain restrictions to which he cannot object but should they not be approved of I shall know how to act next year. Mr P is to give me a bill on them H & Co in settlm August next for the present years Annuity which I hope will prove satisfactory he has commenced Crop and is doing if anything better than his neighbours and the Sugars are much improved in quality Kerr going off his father coming out met him & HJ at Sod Hall
I X extract from JRPs letter if 20 March 1822
5.4.1827
17
To P H James Esq
Spa Town
My Dear Sir
By the last pkt I remitted to Messrs Hawthorn & Ogilvie Mr Palmers bill on them for £1631.15.6 Sg equal with prem @ 22.5% & Stps to £2800 Cy which I recd from him in payment of Mrs Weekes's Annuity due last month of the above sum when paid £1550.3.9 was to be placed to her credit & £81.11.9 to mine, but having since found that the prem: then current altho it was confidently expected to have reached that rate, was only 21%, I have obtained from Mr Palmer an order for the difference, and shall request Messrs H & O to alter the entries above mentioned & to credit Mrs Weekes with the sum of £1569.7.3 & my account with only £62.8.3 I have understood from a friend of Mr Palmers that since the death of Mr R Mountague Senr he has every expectation that he will be enabled to arrange a compromise for which purpose Mr Heath informs me he is furnished with ample powers on the part of those now interested, I am anxious to obtain Mrs Weekes instructions
My Brother had for some time past led me to expect the return of your father to this Country but as I could not obtain any tidings of him further I concluded that he had altered his mind or might have landed on the north side, however at last I perceived his name as a passenger by the present Packet when I immediately dispatched a letter to Kingston to him which has since been returned with an intimation that he had only remained there 2 days & had proceeded to leeward, I am much annoyed to think that he should have passed through this town without my knowledge by which I have lost probably the only chance I may have of seeing him during his stay in this Country as I never before heard of his being in this town &c I am
29.9.1827
25
To P H James Esq
My Dr Sir
I am fav with your letter of 31 Oct last & shall proceed to give you the information requested
In consequence as Mr Palmer wrote me of his Clerk having gone upon a cruise for the benefit of his health he was prevented making up his a/cs with R Hall & Palmyra Estates for 1826, and they were not handed to me until after his death, by the Statement then furnished by Mr Phillpotts there appeared to be a balance due from Mr Palmer of £2980 Cy but when I came to State them, by introducing some Invoices of supplies shipped that year I reduced it to £1679 Cy to this Mr Phillpotts objects as having become the Surety of Mr Palmer early in 1827 he wishes to make as large a balance as possible due previous to that period, in the expectation that the parties interested should look to his former Surety W Allen whose Estate is insolvent, and by bringing the amt of those Invoices against the Crop of 1827 out of which he contends they were paid for to leave as small a deficiency as possible to be made up by him, he is determined to try the question, but I cannot think he will succeed, as the word of the Recognizance are that "he shall a/c for the rents & profits that now are in or may hereafter come to his hands". The A/cs for 1827 are not completed but from the sketch sent me by Mr Phillpotts, wherein he has introduced the Invoices before alluded to amounting to £1470 Cy there appears to be a balance of only about £173 Cy [which c.o.] due from Mr Palmer which is exclusive of any balance that may be due on his previous a/cs to 31 Dec 26, the a/cs for 28 have not yet reached me, but they have been [proms c.o.] applied for & were to have been forwarded by an early opportunity, the a/c Sales of the produce shipped by Mr Phillpotts have not I imagine been yet sent out which may be the cause of the delay - On Mr Millers appointment I applied for a payment on a/c of Mrs W's Annuities & was informed that the small part of the Crop which he got would only be sufficient to pay the expenses he was likely to incur this year
The Decree appealed from by Messrs Mountagues was pronounced by the Duke of Manchester on the hearing of Mr Palmers Bill & does not affect Mrs W's claims herewith I send an extract from the Order made by Sir J Keane as well as a memorandum relating to the Costs on which I applied to Mr Hawthorn & which cannot be paid by the Accssr as formerly or at all events not until the Arrears of her Annty are fully paid, the Solrs of Mr Palmer are extremely anxious now to obtain an order of Court for the payment of their Costs which amot to 4 or £5000 Cy I have heard & would no doubt readily consent to the payment of Mrs Weekes provided they were paid also, there is a large sum due to the Solrs for the Cost of the late Mr Knowles which must be put in the same footing & would keep Mrs W out of the accruing as well as the Arrears of her Anties Having fully answered your inquiries
Season &c
I am
4.1.1829
40
To Philip H James Esq
S T Jam
My Dr Sir
On the 21 Ulto your Brother forwarded to me your letter of the 9 June 1829 with one from Mrs Weekes of the same date directing me to appoint him her Atty in the event of my quitting the Country or to manage Rose Hall & Palmyra Estates in the event of Mr Miller going off & since that I have recd your favor of the 17 May last on the same subject in compliance with such instructions a Power of Atty has been prepared & executed by me authorizing Mr J H James jun & Mr Patrick Waugh to act as Mrs Weekes's representatives in respect to these Estates of which I shall advise [c.o. them] your Brother by tomorrows post that he may adopt such measures as he may be advised for the purpose of obtaining the appointment of Receivers in the room of Mr Miller who has sailed for England, but from a letter which he wrote to me on 28 Ulto it appears to be his intention to "return at the commencement of the next Crop" and that he is by no means willing to give up the appointment - Mr Heath his Co [c.o. laor] Reciever writes me that "after the correspondence which has taken place between Mr Miller and himself he cannot consent to his being removed from the Recievershp without his sanction which maybe obtained before the Crop can with propriety commence" If your Brother & Mr Waugh make their application it will be heard in the Septr Court but being opposed their success is doubtful and should they fail they may have to pay the Costs of all parties on that occasion I think it right to give you this information in case of failure, the Chancellor will decide & he acts for himself We are as particular as possible in respect to the Sureties of Recrs but if a person will swear that he is worth the amount of his Recognizance after all his debts are paid we cannot then object to his entering into it The delay in obtaining payment of the Arrears of Mrs Weekes's annuity cannot be attributed to the want of application to the Recrs. Mr Miller in the letter before alluded to a day "When the amount of the Contingencies & probable proceeds of the Crop of Rose Hall are ascertained I shall direct my Atties to acquaint you with the sum that Mr Heath can with propriety draw for in favour of Mrs Weekes", "Rose Hall has made the best crop of any Estate in that neighbourhood and things are going very well there" The a/cs for last year have not yet been brought in, an abstract shall be sent to Mrs Weekes as soon as any Rpt upon them is prepared, the amot paid over by Mr Phillpotts will I imagine be credited by Mr Miller - The first intimation I had of the latters [c.o. going] quitting the Island was contained in your Brothers letter to me and he sailed about 10 days after I recd it_ as the English a/cs ct are most of them arrived by this time, the a/cs for last year will I have no doubt be very speedily transmitted, if not application shall be made for them
It will afford me the greatest pleasure to make a remittance to Mrs Weekes but unless Sugars sell better in England than things have done for some years past she must not anticipate its being very large. I beg you will offer my kind regards to Mrs Weekes & inform her of my intention of writing to her on the subject of the a/cs when ready to be sent
I am
14.7.1831
61
To P H James Esq
My Dr Sir
I should have replied to your favor of the 7 Sept last at an earlier period but I have been waiting until my Rpt upon the Recers A/cs with Rose Hall & Palmyra Estates was made up that I might transmit you an abstract with that of the previous year, that is from the time of the appointment of Mr Miller & Mr Heath to the 31 Decr last which are now enclosed and which I shall endeavour to explain. Mr Millers a/c is with Rose Hall alone he having undertaken the management of that & Mr Heath of Palmyra Estate, the Rum sold in the Island & Bills drawn are credited by each Receor in their separate a/cs, and on 31 Decr 1829 there was a Balance due from Mr Miller of £9.16.2 Cy and to Mr Heath of £252.11.6 Cy such part of the Crop of Sugar as came in to the possession of the Recers in 1828 & the whole of the 1829 Crops were shipped to Mr Hawthorn & to Mr Bernard and the proceeds are credited in their accompanying A/cs by which there appears to have been a Balance due to Mr Hawthorn on 30 April 1830 of £1134.19.1 Stg & to Mr Bernard of £123.9.0 Stg the Accounts for 1830 are stated in a similar manner - on 31 Decr there was a balance due from Mr Miller of £94.14.9 3f and to Mr Heath of £276.7.10h in which sums are included the balance of 1829. In Mr Hawthorns A/c with Rose Hall are credited the proceeds of the Crop of Rum & Sugar consigned to him in 1830 as well as the Rum of 1829 which had not been sold by him in that year and after charging the former balance there was a balce due from him on 30 April 1831 of £27.12.2 Stg Mr Bernard had on the same day a balance in his hands of £186.0.3 Stg. At the foot of Mr Millers account is the copy of a "sketch" which I received from his clerk lately, by which it would appear that on a rough estimate of this years payments & receipts there would be balance applicable to Mrs Weekes's claims of £342 a copy of that was also sent to Mr Heath with an intimation that he might draw for it but not hearing from him on the subject I addressed a few lines requesting his immediate attention and a remittance for that sum as well as any balance there might be in the hand of Mr Bernard, in reply he writes that he cannot comply with my request his clerk being on duty, and today I am sorry to inform you that Martial Law has been proclaimed here in consequence of an insurrection among the Negroes of St James & Trelawny the particulars of which will doubtless reach you from more authentic sources As you desired a Power was executed to your Brother & Mr Waugh but Mr Heath would not consent to admit either of them as joint Recer with him and as they were fearful of being saddled with the costs of a contested application neither of them adopted any proceedings but you must be aware that Mr Miller cannot be made responsible for Mr Heaths transactions during his absence from the Island Messrs Miller & Heaths A/c to 31 Decr 1829 were made up by me on the 13 Septr 1830 & those of 1830 on 27 Oct last, which is nearly as soon as could be done after receiving the a/c Sales & Accounts Current from England - those for the present year cannot be completed until about the same period next year the Contingencies not having been paid until about August & Septr & the Crops not having yet been sold in England and by a Rule of the Court of Chy Receivrs are allowed until 30 Sept in the following year to bring in their a/cs for the previous year. Mrs Weekes never having been in the habit of receiving copies of these Accounts I could not be aware of her wish that they should be transmitted, I am sure the Recers will candidly admit that it has not been for want of applications on my part that the Annuity has not been paid but from the want of funds, as the enclosed a/cs will [c.o. themselves] testify, and I trust they will also prove that the recommendation of my friend Mr Hawthorn has not been such as will lead him to repent of it or Mrs Weekes to regret the confidence such recommendation induced her to place in me however matters may have turned out differently from her expectations, should however there appear to her any point in which I may have failed in my duty or exertions I beg that it may be candidly mentioned that I may know how to act in the future
I beg to offer my respects to Mrs Weekes & your family and wishing you all many happy returns of the Season
I am
30.12.1831
67-68
To Mrs Weekes Sidmouth Devonshire
My Dear Madam
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 5 June last and regret that the Recvrs have not put it in my power to make you a remittance on account of the Arrears of your Annuities from Rose Hall and Palmyra Estates, it has not been for want of applications on my part but for want of funds Mr Millers Vouchers & A/C with Rose Hall for last year have just come to hand by which there appears to be a balance of £54 Cy due from him Mr Heaths are not yet sent up indeed he writes me that all his papers were burnt during the rebellions at Palmyra 140 hhds of Sugar has been made this year notwithstanding the loss of the Trashhouses, It appears that Messrs Bernards have allowed some of Mr Heaths bills to be protected for nonpayment & I have in consequence cautioned him against making any further Consignments to them until they shall have paid over the proceeds in their hands which I propose following up by an Order to that effect next Court of Chancery, they however got the whole of this Crop, to both Mr Miller & Mr Heath I sent an extract from your letter the former replied that the small balances in his and Mr Hawthorns hands were subject to claims to a much greater amount, the latter stated that he had at one time sent instructions to Messrs Bernards to pay you the £500 Sg which they had not done & now he was unable to draw as they had already dishonoured his Bills, as soon as I can understand that there are any funds in the Recers hands I shall renew my applications, in the meantime you will be able to ascertain from Mr Hawthorn how the produce has been sold and what Bills and Supplies are to be deducted from the proceeds
The Power of Substitution to Mr J H James jun has not been sent to him or recorded Mr Millers has been recorded but in the event of his quitting the country, it becomes a piece of waste paper, to revoke it will be a needless expence as it will not do away his appointment of Receiver so long as he remains here, any instructions you may forward to me shall be attended to and I would suggest their being sent at once or some person on the departure of Mr Miller may step forward and apply for the appointment
I beg to offer my best respects to Mr Philip James & your family and I am
23.8.1832
74
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth Devon
My Dear Madam
Mr Miller came to town shortly after the sailing of the last Pkt & delivered to me the 2nd of his bills (which I now enclose) on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden [c.o. of] in your favor for £500 Sg the first of which he had sent you himself & for which I gave him a receipt at 21% prem: equal with stamps to Jama Curcy £847.7.6 - Mr M is in expectation of being able to make you a further payment out of this years Crop I have again applied to Mr Heath stating what Mr Miller had done & the prospects he had in view but no answer has as yet been returned to my letter neither has he laid before me his A/c & Vouchers for last year, most of his papers were destroyed during the rebellion last Xmas - Should Messrs Bernards have made you any payment under his instructions I shall be obliged by your informing me of the amount that when his A/cs are slated I may see what balance remains in their hands applicable to your claims
I am
17.12.1832
76
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth Devon
My Dr Madam
At the request of Mr Hawthorn I send you annexed a statement shewing the Sums now remaining due in respect of the Arrears of your Annuity of £1600 assigned to Messrs Mountague & of the subsequent Arrears of both annuities which I believe is what you require
I now enclose the 1 of W Heaths bills of Exh on Mess C E & W C Bernard of Bristol in your favor pble in London for £850 Sg equal with 20% Prem to £1428 Cy which I hope will be duly honored, he has nearly completed his A/cs for 1831 & has promised to forward them to me soon
The holidays have passed over very quietly and in the Country the Negroes are said to have enjoyed themselves more than they have been known to do for many years past
I am not aware of any information which it is in my power to afford you but shall at all times feel a pleasure in [c.o. ref] answering your inquiries
Regards to family
I am
4.2.1833
78
To Mrs Weekes
Sp Town
My Dr Madam
Enclosed I beg leave to forward the 2nd of W Heaths Bills on C E & W C Bernard for £850 Sg @ 20% prem:, the first of which was sent to you by last Pkt, from Mr Miller I received on Thursday his Set of Exchge on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden for £500 Sg in my favor which I have remitted to those Gentlemen with instructions to pay to you or to pass to your credit £360.12.4 Sg being the balance due to you on the annexed a/c the particulars of the several Law Bills shall be transmitted by an early opportunity
Mr Heath has not yet favored me with his A/cs & Vouchers but I have requested one of the firm of Duncan Dare & Stevenson to apply to him for them when he attends the Cornwall Court next week
I beg to offer my Kind regards to Mr James & your family and am &c
HJJ
4.3.1833
80
To Mrs Weekes
My Dr Madam
Since I last wrote to you I have been favored with copies of a memorandum drawn up by Messrs Bernards for your signature & of their letter accompanying same, there was no necessity for such a paper as if Mr Heath drew upon them for more than they had in hand they could refuse to honor his Bills however I trust that all is now right
The expences in Chancery would now be trifling if everything went on regularly but the former Recer left a large arrear and Mr Heaths opposition to the appointment of Mr Miller caused some part of what he now complains of - Mr Palmers Recognizance had also to be put in suit - I think this observation has been made more against me personally than with any real intention of dismissing the proceedings & before that can be done provision must be made for the Costs of all Parties which are very heavy
Mr Heath has sent me his a/c for 1831 by which there appears to be due to him £992.5.1h & from Messrs Bernards A/c they admit a balance in their hands on 1 May 1832 of £1085.10.11 Sg, the Vouchers are not quite complete but I shall lose no time in proceeding to state them
Annexed I send you copies of the Law Bills charged in my A/c transmitted to you 4 Ulto by which opportunity I forwarded to Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden W Millers bill on them for £500 Sg of which £360.12.4 was to be placed to your credit & the difference to mine
With an offer of my Kind regards to Mr James & your family
I am
29.4.1833
80-81
To Mrs R A Weekes, Sidmouth
Spanish Town Jamaica
My Dear Madam
Early in January Mr Heath sent me up his accounts with Palmyra Estate for 1832 - on referring to Messrs C E & W C Bernard's account it appeared that on the 1st May there was a balance of £653.8.1 sterling which they state to be "applicable to his immediate draft" and on which "no Interest would be allowed" I applied immediately to Mr Heath for a Bill for that sum at a short sight on the 16th he sent me the enclosed Bill of Exchange drawn by him at C E & W C Bernard of Bristol (at 90 days sight for £550 sterling) in your favour stating that "situated as things are I do not like to draw for more than I know to be in their hands nor to be in advance for the Estate", in reply I wrote him that "I did not see why he should not have given me a Bill for the full amount in their hands at a short sight as I requested him as he had a balance in his own hands on the 31 December 1832 of £530 odd - "When their Messrs Bernards [c.o. account] subsequent accounts came before me I shall be under the necessity of charging Interest on the former balance as heretofore, otherwise the properties would lose a year's interest and you have my letters applying to you for a further payment on account of Mrs Weekes it appears that you had their sanction for drawing and why you had delayed doing so until this late period, I am at a loss to imagine having the proceeds of the Crop of 1833 still to account for in hand" since then I have not heard from Mr Heath who has been very ill otherwise I should have made up my Report for 1832 as I am only waiting for some information from him to enable him to do so, I am surprised that Messrs Bernards continue him as their Attorney as he has been consigning part of the Crop of Palmyra to Messrs Payne of Bristol & Lawrence of Liverpool
Enclosed I also send you the first of W Miller's Bills of Exchange on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden of London for "Three hundred pounds sterling on account of last year's Crop "as he could not venture to draw for more at present" - In the event of Mr Miller's quitting the Country his relation shall be nominated to succeed him in the management of Rose Hall Estate and his sureties shall be enquired after, Mr Hawthorn no doubt informed you that Mr Robert Thomas Downer is the surety of Mr Heath and is not I fear worth much, but I do not know that be can be compelled to find another, unless his circumstances could be shewn to be notoriously bad. It is my wish if I can arrange my affairs in proper time to run off to Canada for a few months and should you wish any particular person to act for you in my absence I beg that you will let me know otherwise I would entrust your concerns to the friend who may superintend my own
I beg to offer my best regards to Mr James and your family and am with much respect my dear Madam
Your faithful hble Servt
Herbert J James
p Swallow packet
10.2.1834
90-91
In another hand
To Mrs R A Weekes, Sidmouth
Spanish Town Jamaica
My Dear Madam
I Have only now to enclose you the second of W Heath's Bills on E C & W C Bernard of Bristol for £550 Stlg: equal with premium at 18 P Cent to £908.12.0 Cy: and the second also of W Millers on Messrs Hawthorn & Sheddon, of London for £300 stlg: equal with premium @ 18 p Cent to £405.12.0 Cy:
Mr Heath has now sent me all his Vouchers except one which he promises to forward by next post and I shall then be enabled to close my Report and send you an abstract of the two last year's or 1831 & 1832
I am very respy &c
15.3.1834
93
In another hand
To Mrs Weekes
Sp Town Jama
My Dr Madam
By the Ship Henry Davidson which sailed the beginning of this month I forwarded to Mr Hawthorn copies of the Recvrs a/cs with Rose Hall & Palmyra Estates for 1831 & 1832 to be handed over to you and as they are full & complete I do not think it necessary to offer any observations upon them but shall be happy in transmitting any further information you may require, the a/cs for last year have not yet been laid before me, Mr Downer the Surety for Mr Heath having lately died I shall direct your Solicitors to call upon him to enter into fresh Security as Recvr - Enclosed I beg leave to forward the first of W Heaths Bills on Messrs Bernard of Bristol in your favor for £500 Sg the Premm upon which I believe will be 12.5 P ct as he has not stated the rate in his letter, but that is what they are selling at I was in the hope of obtaining a remittance also from Mr Miller but he has not replied to my application by post -
As I shall have occasion to forward the 2 bill by next pkt I will take that opportunity of replying to Mr Philip James friendly letter of the 2 April last & in the meantime I beg to offer my kind regards to him & to your family
I am
25.7.1834
108
To P H James Esq
Spanish Town
My dear Sir
I requested our mutual friend Mr Hawthorn to thank you for yr friendly communication of the 2 April last & to state that I would take an early opporty of replying to it by last packet I had a bill of Exchange for £500 Stg to remit to Mrs Weekes upon which occasion I deemed it proper to address her, but the second bill I now enclose to you with a request that you will hand it over to her with the accompanying acct which I hope will be found & acknowledged to be correct, Mr Miller having been on duty in St Ann, in consequence of the negroes on several properties having refused to work now they are declared to be free without being paid, did not send me his promised bill until yesterday evening it is drawn in my favor for £500 St & with premium at 12.5 P cent is equal to £787.10 the amt credited in my acct. I have remitted it to Mr Hawthorn with instructions to place to the credit of Mrs Weeks £373.16.3 Stg which will I hope be satisfactory, Mess Bernards should be applied to to authorize Mr Heaths drawg a bill on acct of Mrs Week's annuities when the crop is shipped as is done by Mr Miller instead of which she is now obliged to wait until their acct current arrives in June follg I assure you that Mr Heath is a most unpleasant man to transact business with Mr Miller has sent up his acct with Rose Hall for last year & I have proceeded to slate them but Mr Heath is going to see about his acct with Palmyra
The first of Augt has passed off as quietly as could reasonably be expected, In St Anns the negroes positively refused to work without they were paid, some special magistrates were sent there with a body of troops, some of the most refractory were tried & severely punished with the cat upon their backs & shoulders when they consented to work as the law directs them in some other parts some examples have been made not however until persuasion & remonstrance were found unavailing, it is however a very bad law for all parties & causes much dissatisfaction We must submit & try & make the best of it, We are also annoyed at the proceedings of the Commissioners of compensation who really appear to be causing as much unnecessary trouble & expence, the negroes are all to be valued & the Valuers are to be paid so much p hundred Certificates are to be taken from the Secretarys office of the last return under the registry act without which the valuation cannot take place, now there is only one set of books contg these returns & probably one of them may contain returns of 2 or 3 parishes, thus how are they to be obtained or how long will it be before the Certificates & valuation of 300000 negroes can be completed, What is the use if the Certificates does not contain the names of the negroes but only of such as were born or who died between 1829 & 1832 when it was made, why are they to be valued, we are not to be paid the value & then nothing will be allowed for invalids or old helpless negroes whereas they must be maintained at the expence of their master for the next six years, it is a complete fraud and robbery
You are under a mistake in respect to Allens Este, having been nonsuited in the action brought against him as the surety of Palmer, it was proved at the trial that at the death of Allen the receivership was in debt to Pallmer & that the greater part of the balance due from the latter accrued during the period when he had no surety I contended that Phillpotts his subsequent surety was liable for the whole deficiency but the matter was comprised between Mr Miller Mr Heath & Mr Phillpotts & you have now only a judgt agt Mr Pallmer's este to look to
The Recrs are I understand the proper persons to give in for the Compensation but a Counter Claim shall be lodged on behalf of Mrs Weeks which will tie it up but I fear she will only get the Int on the amt as yet we scarcely know how it will be appropriated
As yet you see I have not been [c.o. appt] able to get away as I proposed it is however still my intentn to take a run off & I feel very much indebted to you for the kind interest you have taken in forwarding letters for my introduction to your friends which will be a great assistance to me & when I visit Canada I will make enquiry after your land but you should get Mr Cameron to keep an eye upon it or some squatter may take possin of it - Such Changes are taking place here that it is impossible to anticipate what may be the result of them I much fear that my business as Master as well as many other parts of the profession will be nearly at a stand or what is as bad the payts will be worse than they are now & they are I assure you bad enough, I have however not been extravagant neither have I allowed my childn to be brought up so we shall therefore be satisfied with a little
During the June Court I had the pleasure of seeng your Brother in town for the first time but we did not meet as strangers havg freqly corresponded with him
I must now beg of you to offer my kind regards to Mrs Weeks & your family
I am &c HJJ
18.8.1834
111-112
in another hand
To P H James Esqre
Falmouth
Spanish Town Jamaica
My Dear Sir
By the last packet I transmitted to you an Affidavit of the search made in respect of the legacies mentioned in your favour of the 5th Septr: last and by the Athol (Transport) which sailed a few days before Xmas were forwarded addressed to our friend Hawthorn office Copies of the Will of Mary James Conveyance In Trust from James to Hutton to secure certain Legacies of £6000 under the Will of Mary James & Assigment from Eliza A Jackson to P H James of her Interest therein, the parcel was placed under the care of Dr Davis of the Royal Artillery.
You did not intimate to me for what purpose the Affidavit was required, I therefore put the matter Entirely in the hands of my legal advisers to do what to them appeared proper - and they conceiving it might be your wish or intention to put in a counter claim for the Compensation for the negroes on which these Legacies are secured and being aware that it was the intention of Stirling Gordon & Co (whose security is junior to yours) to endeavour to obtain it, recommended that the foregoing papers should be sent to you, and which I hope you will approve of. Hawthorn is to acquaint you of their arrival and you can direct him how to dispose of them
I was glad to get the Bill in any shape from Mr Heath, had I returned it to him to be altered, I should have lost the opportunity of sending it by that packet and the payment to Mrs Weekes would have been delayed considerably more than the 23 days of which you complain, be assured that I have done the best I could for Mrs Weekes
A Counter claim shall be put in on behalf of Mrs Weekes for the Compensation for Palmyra and Rose Hall negroes but you are under an erroneous impression in respect to any claim upon the late William Allen's Estate as the security of the late Receiver J R Palmer, [c.o. at] the recognizance was put in suit and a judgment recovered against J R Palmer but not against W. Allen as a ballance was thence to be due to Mr Palmer at the time of the death of Mr Allen and the Court did not consider his estate liable for any thing which subsequently came to the hands of the receiver.
Xmas you will be pleased to hear has passed off quietly and the apprentices returned to their Work obediently on Monday last and we fully expect they will do the same next Monday when all their Holidays will be at an End not that I believe they will do much or anything equal to what they have been in the habit of doing, altho' that could not be compared to a day's work of a man in England
I offer my Kind regards to Mrs Weekes and your family and wishing you all many happy returns of the Season
I am &c HJJ
1.1.1835
117
in another hand
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth
My Dear Madam
Enclosed I have the pleasure of transmitting to you the first of W Millers Bills on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden in your favor for £400 Sg at 20 p ct prem I have also applied to Mr Heath for a payment on your a/c but have not yet received an answer to my letter
My Report upon the Recvrs a/cs to 31 Dec 1833 being now filed I shall by an early opportunity send you an abstract of the same
I beg to offer my Kind regards to Mrs James & your family and am &c
23.1.1835
118
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth Devon
My dear Madam
I have now the pleasure of forwarding enclosed the first of Wm Heaths Bills of Exchange in your favor on Messrs C C & W C Bernard of Bristol payable in London for £400 Stg at 20 P cent prem on a/c of your Annuity also the 2nd of W Millers on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden of London for £400 Stg the first of which was forwarded to you on 25 Ulto
I am sorry to learn from the northside that the Crops are making very slowly partly owing to very bad weather & partly to the laziness of the Negroes
With my best regards to Mr James & your family
I am
25.2.1835
122
To Mrs Weekes
My Dr Madam
I now beg leave to forward enclosed the 2nd of W Heaths Bills of C E & W C Bernard in your favor for £400 Sg the first of which I transmitted to you on the 25 Ulto
and am
5.3.1835
122
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth
My Dr Madam
Having received from W Miller junr a Bill of Exchge for £1000 Sg on account of the Arrears of Annuities due to you I remitted it to our friend Mr Hawthorn by the last Packet & shall request him by this opportunity to place to your credit or pay to your Order when the same shall become due the sum of £907.17.10 Sg being the Balance due to you on the annexed account which I hope you will find correct and satisfactory I have made application to Mr Heath for a payment but he had not received Messrs Bernards a/ct & was afraid that it would not shew any balance in their hands when it did arrive, he states that Palmyra has lost a considerable part of this years expected Crop from the indolence of the Negroes and the misconduct of the Stipendiary Magistrates, Counter Claims have been lodged on your behalf for the Compensation for the Negroes on both Estates for the Arrears of £15000 & upwards as well as the accruing Annuities
I regret to observe in the papers the death of Mr John Haughton James, the Island is sickly throughout
With my best regards to Mr P James & your family
I am
9.7.1835
126
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth
2nd bill 22nd Augt
Sp Town
My Dear Madam
Enclosed I have the pleasure of forwarding the first of Wm Heaths set of Exchange on Messrs Bernards of Bristol in your favor for £400 Sg but he has not paid any attention to my repeated requests to make it payable in London, I did not like to return it for that purpose but will when I acknowledge the receipt of it urge him to direct those Gentlemen to pay it in London
I beg to offer my best regards to Mr James & your family & remain with much respect Yrs faithfully
8.8.1835
22.8.1835
126
To P H James Esq Sidmouth
Sp Town Jam:
My Dear Sir
Having occasion to address you on the subject of the annexed a/c I beg leave to forward to Mrs Weekes through you the enclosed Bill drawn by W Heath on Messrs Bernard of Bristol for £500 sg on account of her Annuities payable in London, also a copy of Mr Heaths replication to the Counterclaim put in on her behalf to the 'Compensation' I beg also to mention that her Solicitors' have become urgent for a Settlement of the Bills of Costs incurred in her defence to the Suit instituted by Mr J R Palmer amounting to £658.2.6 which accrued many years ago
I now call your attention to the annexed Law Bill rendered to me for the Searches &c made to enable you to put in your Counterclaim, to your further compensation, it amounts to more than I expected but a great part is for Cash advanced by Messrs Vidal & Allwood for Office Com'es of the different Deeds referred to upon which I shall be glad to receive your immediate instructions as I hope to leave this early in April
Wishing Mrs Weekes yourself & families many happy returns of the Season I remain My Dr Sir, Yours &c
PS the holidays are passing off quietly
2.1.1836
130
To Mrs Weekes Sidmouth
My Dr Madam
On the 2nd Instant having occasion to write to Mr James I enclosed in his letter the first of W Heaths Bills on Messrs Bernards of Bristol in you favor payable in London for £500 Sg with a request that he would hand it over to you, I have now the pleasure of forwarding the second enclosed herein, a copy of Mr Heaths replication to your Counter claim was also transmitted at the same time - It is requisite that some provision should be made for the payment of the Solicitors Bills of Costs incurred on your behalf amounting to £658.2.6 an application might be made for payment of them by the Recers but then all the Parties to the Suit would be entitled and claim to be placed on a similar footing and their Costs amount to a very large sum which would prevent your receiving any part of your Annuities for a long time to come
A Copy of the Receivers A/cs for 1834 has been prepared for you and will be forwarded by an early opportunity
I beg to offer my kind regards to Mr James and your family and remain &c
14.1.1836
130
To P H James Esq Sidmouth Devon
My dear Sir
The Packet has brought me your favor of 29 Feby & also a letter from Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden in which they state their readiness to pay the amount of Messrs Vidal & Allwoods law a/c and by direction of Mr Vidal they are to settle it with his friends the Messrs Mitchells less 15 p ct Prem which is rather above the current rate - The Bill in Palmer v Mountague was incurred by Mrs Weekes former Atty in putting in her Answer as a Defdt in that Suit for which she is personally liable, the payment of it therefore can in no way make her responsible for the Costs of any other party at the close of the Suit I have no doubt her Costs will be directed to be paid out of the Estates
With respect to the Compensation for the Negroes on Rose Hall and Palmyra that must I fear remain until the termination of the Suit or should the Commrs proceed to adjudicate upon the several Counter claims filed against it the rights of the parties will be settled in England & not in this Country as the particulars of the Counterclaims filed there have never been sent sent (sic) out - Notice of a Counterclaim filed on behalf, I imagine, of the Representatives or Assignees of Ancrum as the names are new to me, has been served on me and X [bottom of page: X it was not sent as it contained no particulars] & I have transmitted it to Mrs Weekes with a copy of the Recers A/cs for 1834 by the Hornby Captn Allen which sailed for Bristol on the 31 Ulto
I do not think you will have cause to regret the change you have made in favor of our friend Mr Hawthorn I have ever found him most zealous & obliging
In June I hope to quit this Country for the States but whether I shall remain there, go on to England or return remains to be determined when I get there I have been here so long that I am now quite satisfied to remain were it not requisite to try a change for the benefit of hy health Were I to return it would be with the intention of setting down quietly and enjoying myself, just undertaking as much business as would employ a portion of my time without fatigue or annoyance, indeed from present appearances it does not seem likely that there will be a great deal to do in Chancery and the Chancellor has reduced our fees one third from 1 June next. I shall be most glad to meet you here or elsewhere and shall not fail to look after our relation to whom you were kind enough to send me a letter your Brother has some idea of visiting the [c.o. States] "Land of Promise" in a short time but I am not acquainted with his plans
Your friend Mr Saml Jackson has not been up in Town for many months, sickness prevented his attending the Counsel the two last Sessions and he has lately lost his daughter Louise Mrs Rennalls
I beg to offer my best regards to Mrs Weekes & all your family
I am
18.4.1836
134-135
To Mrs Weekes Sidmouth
My dear Madam
Enclosed I have the pleasure of forwarding the 1st of Wm Miller junrs bills on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden London in yr favor for £500 Stg on acct of yr annuities equal with premium at 13 per cent each & stamps to £791.7.6 Cy I have written three times to Mr Heath for rec CHECK but he has not at yet noticed my applcons probably the annexd letter which I have recd last Saturday may acct for his silence in some measure; at present the recrs are not authorized to make the required payt - but I presume Mess Bernards will apply to the Ct for an order to that effect in which case I do not see how you can well oppose the payt of a claim assigned to them by yourself I regret that sickness prevents my sayg more at present
I am &c
HJJ
19.7.1836
137
In another hand
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth
My dear Madam
On the 22 Inst I forwarded to Mr Heath a statement showing the sum of £17,000 & upwards to be due to you for arrears of your annuities to the present period &c I understand that he has admitted your right to insist upon payt of the amt accrued since his appointment & has proposed to make a payt now of about £1500 which he expects will be equalled by Mr Miller - In a few days he will no doubt write to me more fully on the subject when I will again address you
Enclosed I send you the second of Wm Miller junrs bills on Mess Hawthorn & Shedden for £500 Stg
I am
PS By the answer of Mess Mountagues to the bill filed by J R Palmer they claim £4200 currency as due to them for arrears of the annuity of £1600 assigned to them by you up to 1st May 1820
30.7.1836
139
In another hand
To Mrs R A Weekes Sidmouth
S T Jam
My Dr Madam
Enclosed I have the pleasure of forwarding the first of Mr Heaths Bills of Exchge in your favor for £1000 Sg on Messrs Bernards of Bristol pble in London on which I have allowed him 12.5 p. ct premm - We are still in correspondence on the subject of the payment of the Arrears of your Annuities & I will acquaint you with the result when it is concluded
I am
23.8.1836
141
To R A Weekes Sidmouth
duplicate 23 Sept p Pigeon
Sp Town Jama
My Dear Madam
Since I last had the pleasure of addressing you I have obtained from Mr W Miller Jr the enclosed Bill of Exchge on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden in your favor for £500 Sg at 13 p ct premm. I also forward the 2 of W Heaths on Messrs C E & W Bernard of Bristol in your favor pble in London for £1,000 Stg and annexed I beg leave to forward my a/ct shewing a Balance of £262.4.6 Cy due to me equal with Premm @ 13 p ct to £165.15.1 Sg which I shall be obliged by your authorizing Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden to place to my credit having transmitted to you all the Bills of Exchange received on your account - Mr Heath has not yet replied to my last letter
I am
7.9.1836
141
To Mrs R. A. Weekes Sidmouth
Spa Town
My dear Madam
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th December last and am not a little surprised at the charges brought against me, although I trust you would completely fail in any attempt to substantiate them - The only Law account incurred in this Country is Mr. Hylton's for £29.17.7 for putting your Counter Claims. I am not aware of any information required of me by you or by Mr Hawthorn which I have neglected to furnish and I have written to him to furnish me with the particular subject to which you refer and upon which you state it to have been "so repeatedly requested"
In my letters I have shewn the two payments made on account of the arrears of the Annuity assigned by you which being deducted from the amount reported due to you leave the balance of £916.4.10f, no Report has been made upon that Claim since Decr 1815 neither can any be made without an Order from the Court of Chancery. In the postscript to my letter of the 30th July last I stated that Messrs Mountagues (not Mr Heath) had in their answer to Mr J R Palmer's Bill claimed £4,200 as due to them on 1st May 1820 - Mr Hawthorn now writes that "Messrs. Bernards assert that the balance of £4,855.16.6 with interest has been reported as due for Arrears of that assignment" How these differences are to be reconciled, I do not know. I have applied to Mr Heath for the particulars but no Statement has been sent to him, and I could not give the particulars of a Report I have never made -
I am &c
29.1.1837
145
in another hand
To Mrs R A Weekes, Sidmouth, Devon
Spanish Town Jama:
My Dear Madam
Enclosed I beg leave to forward Mr Heath's two Bills of Exchange on Messrs E E & W E Bernard of Bristol in yr favour for £650 Stg: at 18 p ct premium and £193.19.9 Stg: at 20 p ct premium Bills having got up since he sent the former - these amount to £1400 Currency a moiety of your Annuities and I have written to Mr Miller for the other but have not yet received any reply to my communication
I am endeavouring to quit this for America and shall in all probability embark early next Week.
I beg to offer my best regards to Mr P. James and your family
I remain &c H.J.J.
8.7.1837
153
in another hand
To P H James Esq
6 Chapel Row Hotwells
My Dr Sir
Your favor of the 16 June last addressed to me in Jamaica I recd last Thursday the evening previous to my leaving London, and am sorry that Mrs Weekes should have experienced any disappointment in my not having been able to obtain for her the Compensation for the negroes in Receivership on Rose Hall and Palmyra Estates as I always understood that her Solicitors here were endeavouring to obtain it for her, Jamaica is in my opinion the proper place for making the application but some previous steps may be necessary to be adopted which must be determined by Counsel it no doubt will be opposed on the part of Messrs Mountagues representatives, Mr Heath in a letter which I recd just previous to my quitting Jamaica proposed that the Costs of all parties in Palmer vs Mountague should be paid out of the Compensation but I replied that I should oppose any such application, indeed I think the Costs exceed the amount of the Compensation as the Arrears of Mrs W's Annties do not bear Int I see no use in delaying the institution of some Proceedings for its appropriation and it may be as well to give the party her notice of the same when determined upon as Mr Heath will not move without instructions from his Constituents
On the 8 July last I transmitted to Mrs Weekes W Heaths 2 Sets of Exchge on Messrs C E & W C Bernard in her favor for £650 Sg at 18 P ct Premn & £193.19.9 Sg at 20 P ct premn equal to £1400 Cy being one moiety of this years Annuities and Mr Vidal with whom I left a Power of Substitution to act for all the Parties I had represented informs me that he has remitted to her W Miller Junrs Bill on Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden for the other moiety which came to hand by post addressed to me the day after I sailed from Jamaica, this appears to be all Messrs Mountagues representatives will allow to be annually paid at present, Why not ascertain from them what is the nature & extent of the prior claim of which they seek payment and endeavour to get it disposed of out of the way that the surplus [c.o. proceeds] funds in the hands of the Consignees may be applied in reduction of Mrs Weekes's arrears? The Receivers not having sent up their a/cs for last year previous to my coming away I am not aware what sums remained in the hands of the Consignees on 30 Apl last but the previous years balances were not very large, An Application might be made for the Recrs to draw for the same & pay the amount into the hands of the Recvr Genl of Jama to the credit of the Cause there to await the future Orders of Court, in the meantime it would bear Int @ 5 PC & the Compensation might also be so disposed of - As soon as my Papers arrive I will make out my a/cs & transmit it to Mrs Weekes who will no doubt direct Messrs H & S to give me credit for such balance as may be due to me
Heath & Passage
Any information that I can give you
previous to your embarkation shall be immediately forwarded or Mr Vidal & my nephew Haughton James will be able to furnish such as you may wish to obtain in Jama. I beg to offer my best regards to Mrs Weekes & your family & am &c
9.10.1837
158
To Mrs R. A. Weekes, Sidmouth Devon
Dawlish Devon
My dear Madam
I was compelled to leave Jamaica last July for the purpose of trying what effect a change of climate might produce towards the restoration of my health, but fear as far as I am able to judge at present that I have delayed coming too long, this part of England being considered mild and my daughter being married and settled here has induced me to come here for the Winter
Shortly after my arrival in this country I received a letter from Mr Philip James which he had addressed to me in Jamaica, and to which I replied previous to his sailing for that Island the particulars of which he has in all probability communicated to you
Annexed I beg leave to trouble you with my Account showing a balance of £140.15 Cy in my favor equal at 19 p cent Premium to Sterling £84.9.8 which I shall feel much obliged by your directing Messrs Hawthorn & Shedden to carry to my credit with them.
I beg to offer my sincere thanks for the confidence you have reposed in me in the superintendance of your affairs in Jamaica and to assure you that I shall at all times have much pleasure in affording you any information or assistance in my power
I am &c
1.12.1837
161-162
in the hand of WRJ jun
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