299
PAPERS OF l\ImABEAU BuoNAP,\RTE LA1f,\R
' have treated you with the utmost friendship and. courtesy, and would like to continue it if your own acts did not forbid it-and, that my confidence had ~een misplaced. If· so, I am prompt & de- cisive in my feelings & character as a, public officer. l\fy course is marked and I will pursue it. I have lived long in the Country, I have many and strong friends-they have confidence in my integ- rity and they will sustain me. I have nothing to fear on that ac- count, an intimation from me, is all that would be necessary. You are a stranger in the Country, an<;l Your claims not so strong. You have laid yourself open to iTQpeachment or as the matter now stands, you have impeached yourself. You have raised the seals of secrecy, and will now compell me against my will, to expose you. You have a right to know I was willing to spare you, but you now force me to it. I charged your body with the crime of passing resolutions without a quorum predicated on false promises. You Sir. was their presiding officer and certified to me their acts. You ought not to certify a wrong, and there by deceive me. You are certainly liable for the acts which you certify by your sign manual You have forced ·yourself into my power, and I am sorry for it. I had no wi·sh to expose, injure, or conflict with you. I kno,v my duties and powers. I \\'ell knew 11 could not adjourn Your body regularly, withot their consent, but I knew I could, take the responsibility, and cut off their correspondence. For this I am amenable to my peers and not to your, body,-they did not make, nor can they break me. ,Nor can you with all the pnrjstic [ ?] assistance of your Coun- cil, climb up on what j,ou vainly conceiYed to be my ruins. You as a legal and sensible man ought to know better. And you ought not to assume such authority. I will not permit my prerog11tive to be thus infringed. I have a right to presume that you have intercepted·cor- respondence directed to me, or to the Governor, if so, I consider it an a'Esumption 011 your part, £or which I have a right to complain. :i\Iy feelings towards you have been kind & friendly and I would be glad for 1mch to continue, but I believe the course you havP p11rsued prompted from what seems to be your vain and illusory hopes ,rill compcll me to expose you. If so you will not lrnve me to blame, fer ·I would willingly have evaded it. I \Yould advise you as a friend, to consider the ground whicl1 you occupy, and the authority by whicl1 you act. Think not that your Council can sus- tain you, for-I do ass~re you, the people when informed, will sustain neither. And I will discharge my duty as an officer rigidly and promptly. I give you this friendly admonition in order that yon might duly consider and profit hy it, and not dP.ccive yourself. I will soon make an expose to the public, and would first like to know your views and determinations in 1 a friendly manner
Respectfully
Henry Smith [rubric]
'l'o J. W. Robinson Esqr.
f Addressed] . J. W. R.obinson Present
Esqr
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