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| Title |
Benedict Arnold |
| Number |
50631 |
| Size |
8" X 12.75" |
| Date |
April 30, 1787 |
| Place |
London, [England] |
| Category |
Revolutionary War |
| Price |
$14,000.00 |
Traitor Benedict Arnold, disappointed with his welcome in Britain, plans to relocate to a Loyalist settlement at St. John [Canada] and pens a scathing letter regarding mishandling of his property there, "...to my great astonishment & mortification, I have never recd a line from you or any of my friends...I do not know to what cause to impute your Silence...I have for some time been in expectation of Receiving a handsome remittance...instead of which I have lately been presented with several of his Draufts..."
Autograph Letter Signed, "B Arnold", 2 pages folio, London, April 30, 1787, to James Hayt. Arnold writes to ask for assistance with his business affairs in St. John [Canada] until he arrives from London. "I have wrote [sic] you several times since my arrival in England, but to my great astonishment, & mortification, I have never recd a line from you or any of my other friends at St. Johns since I left it, nor do I know to what cause to impute your Silence. From the assurances which your Brother game me, that he did not doubt he should be able to collect Six or Eight hundred pounds in Bill in Debt I have for some time been in expectation of Receiving a handsome remittance from Mr. Henry, instead of which I have lately been presented with several of his Draufts, -- With the property which I left in his hands I cannot consider it possible that he would be under a necessity of drawing on me, and why he has done it I cannot conceive. I can only conjecture and am much alarmed, lest he should take this advantage of my absence, to abuse his trust, and embezzle my property. -- I wrote you and your Brother but I am [?] on this subject and [Enclosed] a power of Atty to him should my fears Respectg. Mr. Henry be realized. I beg you will both [put] yourselves to prevent his Injuring me, and take the Charge of my Affairs into your own hands, for which purpose, this letter, should my power of Atty to your Brother have miscarried, shall be your sufficient authority, & I make no doubt will answer the purpose until my Arrival at St. Johns.--The ship which I have chartered is nearly loaded. I expect to Embark in Eight or ten days, for St. Johns, with my family, I took the liberty in several former letters to request you would be so good as to Assist Mr. Henry in procuring me the largest & best house you could get for their reception, which I now repeat, lest those letters should have miscarried, I wish the House to be ready by the Middle of June, & engaged for 16 to 18 months, by the end of which time I hope to have one built, --I shall bring out a very general & handsome assortment of goods, & have some proposals to make to you when I come out which may be to our mutual advantage-- Pray present my Compl. to all enquiring. Friends...very Sincerely / Dear Sir... B. Arnold." Light edge wear and small hole on integral leaf from seal removal, else fine. After his treason, and subsequent service as a British officer toward the end of the Revolutionary War, Arnold went to England. He did not receive the acclaim or position which he expected there, and in disappointment returned to North America to reside in the new Loyalist settlement at St. John, New Brunswick. Arnold traded in lumber and apparently some other types of goods, but he was not very successful in business or well-liked in St. John, and so returned permanently to London in 1791 This letter, or course, dates from shortly before his departure for Canada, and it seems to foreshadow his later difficulties in New Brunswick.
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