BIB_ID
389128
Accession number
MA 1271.40
Creator
Perceval, Spencer, 1762-1812.
Display Date
1809 Mar. 21.
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 item (3 p.) ; 24.6 cm
Notes
Endorsed.
Marked "Most Private" above the salutation.
Sir James Pulteney served as Secretary at War from 1807-1809.
Volume 14 (MA 1271) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1271.1-60).
Marked "Most Private" above the salutation.
Sir James Pulteney served as Secretary at War from 1807-1809.
Volume 14 (MA 1271) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1271.1-60).
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of Manuscripts.
Summary
Discussing a comment he heard in their conversation "the other morning" which suggests he may be thinking of resigning; saying "I forget the words, but they conveyed the idea of your intending soon to quit your office. I confidently hope if such is your intention, it does not arise out of anything which you might conceive yourself entitled to complain of, or the part of myself or any of my Colleagues, or from any thing which you disapproved of in the present Conduct of affairs - and indeed the expression did seem to be used in such perfect good humour, that I cannot suppose it was to be ascribed to any such idea. But it would be certainly satisfactory to me to be certain that it did not arise from any such Cause, as I should be most anxious to endeavour to explain to you any thing which possibly from being misunderstood, might have created such a feeling - as I can safely assure you from myself, and as I firmly believe for my Colleagues also, that it would be extremely painful to me and all of us that you should have received any unfriendly impression - besides this, you will naturally conceive that if there is any prospect of your office being vacant at any particular time, I should be glad to know of it, as it would be desirable that we should be prepared with a Successor when the Event might take place. I have not mentioned the Circumstance to any of my Colleagues, nor will I unless I find that you are fully determined & fixed in your purpose."
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