1795  16 Apr  Halifax  

578. W. Cottnam Tonge, Naval Officer, to Gideon White: I have to return you my thanks for your obliging favor of the 9th March & your assurance of your attention to my Interest at Shelburne, from the accounts I hear of the unfortunate man to whom my appointment was entrusted I feel some uneasiness on that head as independant of every Idea of Emolument my Responsibility may be very unsafely pledged. Nothing but a Consideration for his family which I am told is numerous and needy prevents me from revoking the appointment at once & placing my Business in safer Hands, I would immediately go to Shelburne buy for some Family reasons that is out of my power at present. I expect o be able to get there in June, in the mean time I must trust to your Friendship to prevent my being essentially injured by any improper Conduct. Mr. Hutchins has made no Quarterly returns since the 31 March 1794 so that there is a whole year's Business unreported - when I made this appointment it was a Blank confided to Capt. McKinnon who has withdrawn his responsibility since last Autumn so that I now stand without any Security but Mr. Hutchins' own - let me request of you to call on him & require of him to make out & transmit his reports immediately with acct. of fees received - & also to lodge in your Hands the usual Security for the faithful discharge of the Duties of his Office (between ourselves if this should be so far nominal as only to establish a Check on his Conduct & induce some person to Superintend it a little, it will be satisfactory to me for the present). if he fails to either of these requisitions I must beg of you to use the enclosed short power which may serve to authorize you to undertake the Business of the Naval Office until I see you...'' ''...the New Jersey Laws are I believe nearly exhausted as there has not been so much as an attempt to introduce one this Session nor do I recollect to have heard - In the Country or Province I came from Mr. Speaker more than once this Campaign the malevolent Spirit however which was brought from that province still subsists & is widened by numberous motions for inquiries votes of Cencure &c. &c. it is however on the whole somewhat humanized or perhaps discouraged by want of success or possibly the early call of the House may not have left time for compleating some diabolical arrangements. Holograph.
Enclosure: Commission of same date, below.

White Family Nova Scotia Archives MG 1 Vol. 950 No. 578