Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/214

186 L. H. Is there not such a letter?

Sec. P. No, my Lord ; there is a letter relating to some bill for the payment of a salary to Mr. De Berdt, and I think to some other agent, to which the governor had refused his assent.

L. H. And is there nothing in the letter to the purpose I mention? Sec. P. No, my Lord. B. F. I thought it could not well be, my Lord ; as my letters are by the last ships, and they mention no such thing. Here is the authentic copy of the vote of the House appointing me, in which there is no mention of any act intended. Will your Lordship please to look at it? (With seeming unwillingness he takes it, but does not look into it.)

L. H. An information of this kind is not properly brought to me as Secretary of State. The Board of Trade is the proper place.

B. F. I will leave the paper then with Mr. Pownall to be

L. H. (Hastily.) To what end would you leave it with him?

B. F. To be entered on the minutes of that Board, as usual.

L. H. (Angrily.) It shall not be entered there. No such paper shall be entered there, while I have any thing to do with the business of that Board. The House of Representatives has no right to appoint an agent. We shall take no notice of any agents, but such as are appointed by acts of Assembly, to which the governor gives his assent. We have had confusion enough already. Here is one agent appointed by the Council, another by the House of Representatives. Which of these is agent for the province? Who are we to hear in provincial affairs? An agent appointed by act of Assembly we can understand. No other will be attended to for the future, I can assure you.

B. F. I cannot conceive, my Lord, why the consent of the governor should be thought necessary to the appointment of an agent for the people. It seems to me that

L. H. (With a mixed look of anger and contempt.) I shall not enter into a dispute with YOU, Sir, upon this subject.

B. F. I beg your Lordship's pardon ; I do not presume to dispute with your Lordship ; I would only say, that it seems to me, that every body of men, who cannot appear in person, where business relating to them may be transacted, should have a right to appear by an agent. The concurrence of the governor does not seem to me necessary. It is the business of the people, that is to be done ; he is not one of them ; he is himself an agent. L. H. (Hastily.) Whose agent is he?