ENPages
(seq. 1)
To the {Honorable] John Hancock {Esquire}
May 30, 1776
Sir Yours to the President of the 13th Instant, in answer to two of his, now lies before us. Altho we rejoice in the Call of your Country, which has placed you at the Head of it's public Councils, & that your Attention is turned to the Salvation of America; yet it has been a great unhappiness to us, that such extraordinary Changes have taken place, in the affairs of this Continent, since you were chosen Treasurer of the College, as have interrupted the good Services upon which you had enter'd.
We doubt not your attachment to the College is such, that nothing but necessity would divert your attention from it; but the Gentlemen in the immediate Government & Instruction of the Society very sensibly feel experience the disavantage of your being taken off from the management of our Interests.
In the midst of public Calamities & Distresses, We thankfully acknowledge the Divine Goodness, that the Society under our Care has not been intirely scatter'd & dissolved; but the Scholars have been collected at Concord, & the Officers imployed in their respective Departments. They greatly want their stipulated Support; & some method must be fixt upon that they may receive their Arrears.
Tho' you must be sensible that the Corporation have no one to account with but the Treasurer, yet we have nothing to object to your Proposal of appointing Mr William Winthrop to act for you, until you can determine whether it will be consistent with your high Public Employment to continue in the Charge of our Treasury. We confess it gives us no small concern that our Bonds & other Papers must be removed to such a Distance as Philadelphia, as they must be reconveyed to these Parts, before any Payments can be made [illegible] upon them. Suffer us to intreat, that you would speedily take such account of them as may be necessary for the Settlement of our Treasury Affairs, & then send them here, that the Business of the Treasury may go on.
The Overseers have chosen a Committee of Inquiry into the State of our Treasury, & we expect to be questioned by them very soon; therefore hope you will favor us with your Accompts assoon as possible.
As to your Resignation, you yourself {Sir}, must judge how far it may be consistent with your other Employments to continue in so important an Office of the College, which requires such constant attention, when you are at so great a Distance; especially as we greatly need the Assistance of our Treasurer at Corporation Meetings, & there is but little probability of your being soon at Liberty to return & reside among us.
We
(seq. 2)
We assure you, it would be very disagreeable to us, if we should be obliged to give it as our Opinion, that the Interests of the College render it necessary that the Office should be committed to any other Person.
{Samuel} Langdon {President} [?] Order
N.B. The above was sent by Mr William Winthrop.
True Copy attest: {Samuel} Langdon
May 30th 1776 No. 6.