Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 2

383
R. Wolters aan Willem Bentinck

[B.M., Eg. 1745]

Rotterdam, 10 juli 1748

I intended to have waited on you to-morrow¹⁾, had not I been prevented by business, but as I have nothing material to say, I shall content myself with writing to you.

My uncle²⁾ has had with him a jew, whom's father he knew to

1) Bentinck was te 's-Gravenhage terug om met de Prins te beraadslagen over het resultaat der besprekingen te Nistelrode. Zie De Jonge, Dipl. 1740-1748, p. 158.

2) Etienne Caillaux, zie Bentinck II, nr. 370.

[p. 83]

be a man of great knowledge in plans of finances and by several conversations my uncle has found out that this hebrew has profited greatly of his father's lessons. This man has a plan of a taxe upon houses, which would, by loading the people much less than former taxes, produce thirty millions and consequentely would empower the States to take off the other taxes, even some part of the verpondingh³⁾ if not the whole. I do not pretend to tell you that this man's scheme is perfect and indeed I know very little of the matter, but my uncle seems to be much taken with it and att least in a time of redress it would be good to hear such a man, as what he has to propose might chance to be usefull. It is from this opinion, that my uncle has given to mister Levi, the author of the plan⁴⁾, a letter to mister Kerseboom⁵⁾, who as examinator of the plans that are given in, seems to be the proper person and I write this to you from no other motive than being usefull to the scheme of redress which you so heartily espouse; and for fear Kerseboom by some prevention against the plan or person who gives it might sink it to the Prince. Levi, who will be at The Hague to-morrow or next day, has several other plans that might be usefull.

You know, I suppose, that the town of Amsterdam has restored its town pagts, which in the main I think no bad thing⁶⁾.

Give me leave to remind you, that most people look upon the affair of the places and postoffices as a tryal of power between the regents of Amsterdam and the Prince⁷⁾. I hope to God that the Prince will carry his point; if I can be anyways usefull to you att Amsterdam, where I shall go on Friday morning⁸⁾, I shall be glad to have your commands, which directed to my house will allways come safe to my hands.

3) Verponding is oorspronkelijk een belasting op vaste goederen, berekend in de muntwaarde van ponden.

4) Op 19 november 1749 beval Caillaux de man en zijn plan opnieuw aan bij de griffier Fagel, Archives IV, I, p. 478.

5) Willem Kersseboom, commies bij de rekenkamer was in maart 1748 benoemd tot ‘Examinator van de nieuwe Inventien en Projecten van Finantie’. Zie ibidem, p. 307 en Ned. Jb. 1748, p. 221.

6) Ned. Jb. 1748, p. 607.

7) Zie de vorige brief.

8) 12 juli.