Item 46b: A Copy of a Letter from Lord Butler to Thomas Cooper, (removed to Legal Box #1), 1804 January 19
Item — Box: 10, Folder: 46b
Dates
- Created: 1804 January 19
Creator
- Butler, Lord, 1761-1824 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter.
Condition Note:
Fair. The folded seam is fragile and suffers some tearing. Handle with care.
Measurements:
9 ⅛ in. x 7 ⅜ in. (closed); 14 ¾ in. x 9 ⅛ in. (open)
Description:
This letter, dated January 19, 1804, is written by Lord Butler, the eldest son of Zebulon Butler, to Thomas Cooper. In the letter, Butler is addressing another letter he previously wrote to John M. Taylor, where the original documents requested concerning the Westmoreland records office were refused. Butler is addressing the reasons for that decision in this letter, after Taylor sent Butler’s letter to Thomas Cooper. Butler explains that he did not make this decision on his own, but referred to counsel of Judge Matthias Hollenback, William Ross, and others, such as Judge Jesse Fell, who has given Butler a letter concerning his response by Cooper to Fell. Butler explains that he considers that the people of this county, Wilkes Barre, have put their interest in his hands and he expects to uphold that trust. Cooper is said to have written to Fell that the decision to detain the documents was unfair, to which Butler contends, stating that he does not know how Cooper can attempt to say so. Butler concludes the letter with his regrets of Cooper’s opinion of his character, one that Butler writes Cooper stating is one that will “spoil the ship for a penny’s worth of tar.”
Location:
Wilkes-Barre
Transcription:
Wilkesbarre Jan[uar]y 19th 1804
Sir
When John M. Taylor Esq[ui]r[e] give (sic) [gave] me notice
of your desire that the Westmoreland Records should
be removed with the Com[missione]rs papers I informed him
that as an Individual I should not Object but
that I could not consent, without being guilty of
a Breach of trust, unless the people who were
Interested in them would consent- I called on
Judge Hollenback, W[illia]m Ross Esq[ui]r[e] and many others,
they all give it as their Opinion that these
Records ought not to be removed, I therefore wrote
a Letter to Mr. Taylor stating my reasons why I could
not with propriety consent and if Mr. Taylor had
conveyed to you my Letter I Believe you would
not have accused me of Wilfully detaining them—
Judge Fell has shown me your Letter to him
wherein you are pleased to place the Responsibility
on my shoulders and say that, they cannot be detained
for any fair purposes— I consider myself Responsible
to
Inside, left: the people of this County who have intrusted (sic) [entrusted] them with me, but to no other Tribunal on earth, and how you can form an Opinion, that they are kept for unfair purposes is unaccountable to me, they are surely not Dangerous Weapons to remain in our hands because Were we disposed we cannot make use of them to the Injury of the State or any Individual, and I believe your Candor will do me the justice to acknowledge, that I have at all times during your stay here furnished you with every Dockument (sic) [document] and information in my power to facilitate the Business of your Commission, you will not therefore I presume construe this act into a Disposition to thwart the proceedings of the Com[missione]rs and I am sorry to find that its trivial a Circumstance should be laid hold of to furnish an excuse & suspend the further operation of the Law- you [illegible] to you suggest that I was am about to spoil the ship for a pennys worth of tar, if I was intrusted with a leaky ship before I would be guilty of a Breath of trust, and surrender her contrary to her owners directions I would stay on board untill the rats come upon Deck and then go down with her. I am with due respect Your most obed[ien]t Serv[an]t Lord Butler
Back:
Coppy (sic) [copy] Letter to Tho[ma]s Cooper Esq[uire] Jan[uar]y 19. 1804
Inside, left: the people of this County who have intrusted (sic) [entrusted] them with me, but to no other Tribunal on earth, and how you can form an Opinion, that they are kept for unfair purposes is unaccountable to me, they are surely not Dangerous Weapons to remain in our hands because Were we disposed we cannot make use of them to the Injury of the State or any Individual, and I believe your Candor will do me the justice to acknowledge, that I have at all times during your stay here furnished you with every Dockument (sic) [document] and information in my power to facilitate the Business of your Commission, you will not therefore I presume construe this act into a Disposition to thwart the proceedings of the Com[missione]rs and I am sorry to find that its trivial a Circumstance should be laid hold of to furnish an excuse & suspend the further operation of the Law- you [illegible] to you suggest that I was am about to spoil the ship for a pennys worth of tar, if I was intrusted with a leaky ship before I would be guilty of a Breath of trust, and surrender her contrary to her owners directions I would stay on board untill the rats come upon Deck and then go down with her. I am with due respect Your most obed[ien]t Serv[an]t Lord Butler
Back:
Coppy (sic) [copy] Letter to Tho[ma]s Cooper Esq[uire] Jan[uar]y 19. 1804
Creator
- Butler, Lord, 1761-1824 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu