Sale 2486 Lot 191

(AMERICAN REVOLUTION--PRELUDE.) Wallace, William. Letter discussing Stamp Act disturbances in Virginia. Autograph Letter Signed to David Mudie of Arbroath, Scotland. 4 pages, 12 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches, on one folding sheet; folds, minimal wear. With typed transcript and worn separate envelope leaf bearing postal markings. Richmond, VA, 8 June 1766

Estimate $800 - 1,200

William Wallace was a merchant who apparently left Scotland for Virginia in some sort of disgrace. Most notably, he discusses the recent Stamp Act disturbances in Richmond: "The newspapers must have informed you of the commotion occasioned here by the Stamp Act. In this town we were in open rebellion against our lawful Sovereign. Great have been the rejoicings on the news of the repeal, equal to their former tumult and hubub, tho from a quite different motive." Wallace's description of his shop is also interesting: "We raise about 900 or 1000 names in our leger every year, and of these about 800 are customers who pay us in wheat or the staple commodity, tobacco. We buy in this store alone from 1000 to 1300 hhds tobacco yearly. . . . The money due in Virginia to our company alone is not less that between 60 and 70 thousand pounds st. If so, what an immense sum of money must these colonies owe to Glasgow, & all the rest of their mother country."