From Archibald McLachlan   Sunday, (Aug. 6th, 1843)

Sunday

I will not be in time for this night’s post – After reading the last,¹ I conclude it is of no use spending time with Ed:² this one shows the white feather already. Prosecution! – Tho’ he does not know it, Colonel C.³ or any other officer would rather be excused – rather than prosecute, the cure would be worse than the disease – Whatever is said – true or false, a prosecution is the very last thing they would think of. The Master General⁴ might say, Colonel C. are those things so? and he would reply they are false my Lord – Then Colonel C. you should prosecute – No, no says Tom, he would make a defense – and – and – it, it is not him I fear ’tis his witnesses!!! No I will take my own way – I will intimidate and Bully the Editor, threaten an action, and demand the authors name – if he complies, then I drop the prosecution!!!!. Never think of a prosecution – no fear of that. But you have to fear that the Ed. to save himself may be induced to give up the names. From his letter I would conclude this to be very likely – I have tried Ed. and printer in the olden times, and found them both afraid of the same danger.⁵ Tho’ we see and know all about it, they don’t know, and can hardly believe things to be so bad as represented – we are not public men – not weighty enough for an Editor’s confidence!! If you can strike out all hard words and speak not affirmatively but negatively – putting your facts in the form of questions, peradventure the Ed would not baulk at the leap – If you can get it in conveniently, well, if not, let him go to the --- I don’t much like his white feather. –

Burning Maps ‘/’ It would be well, not to say ‘by the fiat of the B. of or.’⁶ but, ‘an order was given that they should be burned, and they were burned according to order’. I don’t know who gave the order – the order ran nearly thus:– ‘The maps are to be burned in the presence of an Officer’. – It did not order them – it did not say, you will burn the maps, – nor did it say when, or where, or by what officer!! very cautious!! I remember it was in Colonel C’s handwriting.

Tithe maps;⁷ it would do as well to substitute. ‘the expenses were much greater than the estimated cost’ – That would be a term tame enough God knows.

Money 1st The money was drawn from the Bank, in the usual way. 6 inch money,⁸ all the men entered on a sheet called Pay list. ‘Ord: S. of Eng.’ – Now were all the men entered on this P.L.⁹ employed on the O.S.E.?¹⁰ No; 6 inch men and 3 chain men¹¹ jumbled together, was it not so? ask D.¹² They were all paid from the money drawn from the Bank ‘aforesaid’ – Here we have a double falsehood viz: money drawn from the Bank as usual 2.8.6 inch money¹³ drawn, but not for 6 inch purposes¹⁴ – men entered on the P.L. of the ‘O.S.E’ and those men were not employed on the O.S.E. during the period expressed against their names; the O.S.E. is down by or under one Act – the Tithe under quite another,¹⁵ but in this P.L. the 2 are jumbled together. There never was any money voted for Tithe purposes – but the men were paid every Saturday; then out of what fund? – the 6 inch, for there is no other, therefore – Q.E.D.!!¹⁶

2nd Every P.L. certifies that the men were employed during the period expressed against their names – Now in such a week between the day of --- and the day of --- ABC is set down for 7 days, was he employed the 7 days? No – for the men were received extra time after they had long discontinued working extra hours – you will recollect this – and you will recollect too the Tithe S.¹⁷ is not the O.S.E. – but the men were returned and paid as if on the O.S.E. – if they did not receive the O.S.E. money why were they put on the O.S.E. paylists?

3rd There is a great difference between the estimate and actual expense, has he,¹⁸ or will he have to pay this difference out of his own fob?¹⁹ Why should he? he is not liable. If the thing is a speculation of his own, then he should pay the piper. Has he acted according to orders received, or has he not? If he has acted without orders then No 1 and 2 – or 1st and 2nd – come slap in his face. If he has acted up to his orders – then you are justified in saying that money voted for one purpose has been applied to another – If one side be taken, then you trip him on the other.

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I don’t like the Editor’s hesitation – he says – ‘Beside as it stands, it would probably invoke severe legal proceedings. Are you prepared for such a result’. Now what does he mean by saying – ‘are you prepared’ &c. Does he mean, that if legal proceedings were threatened – he would call on his correspondent – or give up the name of the writer? If he is not proof against threats, it would be better to have nout²⁰ to do with him – Modify the thing and give one trial more – and only one. It is much better to club our halfpence – say half a guinea from five men – £2 10 – this would print a good long pamphlet of 12 pages, where we could speak out – What do you think could we collect? £2 10 in less than a week after the thing is done – or can we collect now £1. This would print one of 5 pages – and would be a strong beginning – and continue them periodically – Pray try it now – nothing of it is to be known except by the Elect. My cash is ready for the first letter – here you have 5/. and 5 every month, this can be done, will you try – I hate newspapers – having been so often disappointed. Printers too are shy – but there we could not be so much disappointed. Let us blaze right off ourselves – begin and continue it – Let Mr S.²¹ take the benefit and use the facts. Come, let us begin, at once, begin where you will – at Ireland or England. If it were possible to consult Mr S. it would be prudent – but recollect, ‘Who would be free, themselves must strike the Blow’.²²

S. would be invaluable, should he take it up – but if the same difficulty be encountered in communicating with him as with an Editor I’m afraid it would be endless work – would it not be worthy of serious meditation to give S a trial – and if found solid pour the contents of the S. into him immediately – If not let us do our own work ourselves.

I know it would shock the parties to find the matter exposed in a series of letters or pamphlets, printed and circulated privately, – sent to all C.E.,²³ Professional men, &c. &c.

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I think it would be expeditious, should you – (being in a central position) determine how – and what is to be done – calling on us only as adjuncts or offsets – or secondary parties – that all should be arranged planned and matured by you – calling on others as inferior agents. This I think would ensure expedition and strength – We unsettle you by our opinions – don’t follow any parties. Hear and weigh all, but as a leader, follow your own judgement – You will hear soon again.

B.²⁴

RI MS JT 1/11/3777–9