The Virginia Gazette

To the PRINTERS.

GENTLEMEN,

By the Copy of John Norton's Letter, published in the Supplement to your Gazette of the 8th Instant (which I did not see till this Morning) I find I am therein charged with injuring his Character, and being guilty of two odious Crimes, Falshood and Ingratitude. I shall therefore endeavour, by this Publication, to wipe away such foul Charges, well knowing that I have not been guilty of either to Mr. Norton.

He has taken Occasion to enumerate the Civilities I received from him whilst in London, which, after observing that they did not equal, much less exceed, those I received from many other Persons, I will pass over till I come to the L. 100 which he mentions, and which his Correspondent upbraided me with in the publick Streets of Williamsburg. If I was ever under any Obligation to him on that Account, he and his Correspondent have between them made it exceeding small; but the Transaction was as follows: A few Days before my Departure from England, I applied to the Honourable George William Fairfax, then in London, to lend me £500; he said it was inconvenient for him to furnish me with it at that Time, but that he would accept my Draught on him in Favour of Mr. Norton for £100 payable in six Months. The Matter was thus negociated, and the Merchant advanced me, not £100, but £97 : 10, retaining £2: 10 for Interest. If this would be no Obligation (to the Merchant I mean) I am acquitted of the Charge of Ingratitude, but stand yet loaded with the other Part of my Burthen, and therefore shall attempt to shake it off.

To effect this I will plead Justification to Part, and not guilty to the rest.

It is certain that John Norton did not sign the Petition against the Boston Port Bill, and it is as certain that he was sollicited to do it, both personally and by warm and pathetick Advertisements addressed to the American Merchants, and other Friends of America; and two different Meetings were thereby appointed, and absolutely held at the Thatch'd House in London. If he had attended when thus sollicited, he would have seen the Petition before it was in Print; he must therefore excuse me when I say, I think he did see it before it was in Print. But, admitting he did not, what is the Inference? Coolness and Indifference in the Cause.

But, to proceed in my Justification: I arrived in Virginia, and then at Williamsburg, immediately after the Dissolution of an Assembly; my Countrymen, agitated with that Event, and the Causes that produced it, surrounded me and inquired after their Interest in England, and were exceedingly eager to know their Friends from their Foes, but more particularly questioned me about the Petition against the Boston Port Bill, and desired to know why it was supported by so small a Number. Would Mr. Norton, or his Correspondent, desire me to forge Falshoods? For I declare, if Mr. Norton had made me a Present of the £97 :10, I could not have given one good Reason why he did not sign the Petition, or shew a becoming Warmth in the Matter.

It is not to be expected I can now recollect every Thing I then said, or Answer I gave; I only say that I attempted to speak Truth, and said, that in my own Opinion, the American Merchants who had not signed the Petition were lukewarm, and appeared more anxious to get Payment of their Debts from the Americans, than to take any Steps in their Favour towards a Reconciliation of the Disputes between them and Great Britain; and that they either laughed at the Petition, or treated it with Ridicule and Contempt.

But by Mr. Norton's Son's Letter to him (or rather his imperfect Recital of Parts of it) the Publick are to suppose that I, in the Course of the above Inquiry have alleged that Mr. John Norton in particular said "he did not care if the Americans
"were at the Devil, or if the Devil took them, so he had his
Debts;" Here my Plea of not guilty must come in, for I declare I never said so. And if Mr. Norton was particularly named by me, it is more likely it proceeded from Questions asked by some of his inquisitive Acquaintance, than any Design of mine to injure him; for surely my private Opinion cannot affect a Merchant, without his own Conduct should contribute to justify the Charge.

Keep the Original when you publish the Copy, that Mr. Norton and I may have a fair Trial; and remember, the Plea of not guilty may be tried in Virginia, but Justification must be tried in Westminster Hall; where I hope the honest, brave, and bold Americans, Franklin, Lee, Robson, Johnston, &c. may be suffered to compose a Part of the Jury.

Mr. Norton tells you my Estate is encumbered, I therefore send a small Fee for Publication, though I am satisfied you would give a poor Man fair Play; but I do assure you I can pay twenty Shillings in the Pound.

Give my Compliments to the honest Assessor, and tell him, if no other Person can answer his Queries put in the above mentioned Supplement, to apply to his, and Gentlemen,

Your very humble Servant,

JOHN BALLENDINE.

Dec. 20, 1774.