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Dear Sir,
From journeys and a variety of engagements I have not had it in my power to read you[r] letter of the 5th ultimo before this day, and as I believe Mr. Scale's ideas of your declineing to sell Soho buttons upon commission arose from former circumstances and from what I have said, it is most proper that I should answer.
So great a variety of different matter passes through my mind daily that it is impossible for me to remember the specific words of different conversations, but I very well remember that I have more than once express'd to you a wish to augment your business by the addition of other articles, and that chiefly with a view to your interest more than my own-particularly after Gray's failure; and though such conversations were not very explicit, yet they were sufficiently so for me to understand that you declined going into the button business, except to sell on your own account. I also remember saying to you in the Spring '94 that we must have some agent to get orders and sell buttons for us in town, and from the tenor of what then passed I concluded it was not an acceptable thing to you, and that impression remaining on my mind gave birth to Messrs. Scales' observations.
It is in vain [to] recapitulate things long pass'd. The present query is whether it is for your interest and ours to adopt some distinct plan now.
I think this is the time for such an establishment, when the qualities of gilt and plated buttons are regulated by a new law; I therefore wish you would think of it and state your ideas of a plan, in case you should feel your self inclined to accept it. An association is established amongst the merchants and manufacturers at Birmingham for the purpose of prosecuting all such persons as are found to offend against the late Act, and I doubt not but a few examples will put an end to fraudulent practises. The manufactures of plated wares at Sheffield approve of the principle of the Button Act so much that they intend to apply to Parliament to regulate the thickness of silver on plated wares, and thereby prevent the reputation of that article from being ruin'd, which it is in a fair way of.
With respectfull compliments to Mrs. Chipindale, I remain, dear sir, your obedient humble servant,
Mattw. Boulton
[Edited transcript.] |