Carlisle, John

Belmont June 9\th/ 1822 /
My Lord /
Having by last Post received a letter from /
His Majestys Fiscal, I presume to take the liberty of ad=res+sing /
your Lordship on the subject of it. /
I do not expres+s any surprise at the misrepresentations /
which have been made to your Lordship of the intentions which /
situated me and others in is+suing the Circular letters alluded to, /
or similar, and I must say designed mistatements were /
circulated in our own neighbourhood, but I must be allow=ed /
to expres+s my abhorrence at the Officiousnes+s of that Person,/
who could thus deliberately addres+s your Lordship and as=scribe /
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 neces+sary 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 as+sure your Lordship that /
every precaution was used to prevent the Meeting becom=ing /
a [public one], no hand-bills were is+sued 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 is+suing 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 Ob\t./ humble Servant /
J. Carlisle /