Carlisle, John

Belmont June 9th 1822
My Lord
Having by last Post received a letter from
His Majestys Fiscal, I presume to take the liberty of adressing
your Lordship on the subject of it.
I do not express any surprise at the misrepresentations
which have been made to your Lordship of the intentions which
situated me and others in issuing the Circular letters alluded to,
or similar, and I must say designed mistatements were
circulated in our own neighbourhood, but I must be allowed
to express my abhorrence at the Officiousness of that Person,
who could thus deliberately address your Lordship and asscribe
such motives to those who were well known to be the
earnest supporters of your Lordships Government, and
who were at hand to remove the slightest suspicion, had
they been referred to, or had the object of the reporter been
just or upright. _ It is not necessary to trouble your
Lordship with a repetition on the subject of our Meeting,

as a minute account has been given through the proper
Channel, the Landrost, who will no doubt state to your
Lordship what, he has actually done to us, his perfect
satisfaction on the explanation rendered to him. It
is to be regretted that owing to his absence from Grahams
Town, he did not hear of the intended Meeting untill
the day before it was to take place, had it reached him
sooner the unjust and disgraceful suspicions would have
been avoided.
I beg leave however to assure your Lordship that
every precaution was used to prevent the Meeting becoming
a public one, no hand-bills were issued or stuck up
in the streets, a circular signed by me was sent round
to the principal and most respectable settlers only, who
it was thought would subscribe to the object in view,
and in issuing this Circular not the most distant idea
was entertained that in so doing we were infringing
the Laws of the Colony.
I have the honor to be
Your Lordships most Obt. humble Servant
J. Carlisle