Mine A Burton July 22th. 1805
To His Excellency James Wilkinson
Haveing this day recv'd a letter from John Smith of St Genveive
Stateing that he is proseeuting measures to obtain Certificates in
Order to lay before your Excellency to effect my removal from Office,
I have taken the liberty to address your Excellency on the subject,
few men in public Stations escape the milignant tongues of the
restless members of society. I therefore Aught not to be surpris'd that
at this moment of party madness, I am marked Out As a Victim to
disappointed ambition. It is well known that I never had a wish to
be notic'd in the appointments of Govr. Harrison. No man is more
fully convinced of the Difficulties of holding an Office in a Country
Where the people are so little accustomed to the American form of
Government then myself It is next to impossible to bring men into
measures they cannot Judge of. Ignorant of all the principles of our
Government they View things with an evil eye. from this knowledge
of the disposition of a part of the people. It was with no small
reluctance I entered on the Duties of my Office being persuaded
Sattisfaction could not be given, The insufficiency of my own
Abilities together with dispositions manifested in some of the members of
the Court Known to be Unfriendly towards our government rendered
the discharge of my Duties still more Difficult and disagreeable.
That I may have commited Errors in Judgment is possible but I
am Conscience of no offence Unless it be an Offence to disagree in
Opinion with my Opponents. I have only to ask of your Excellency
that I may have an Oppertunety of seeing a Copy of the Charges
that may be exhibited by John Smith and others that I may make
my refutation. The Justice I owe myself family and my friends
require that I Should hold my Office untill a termination of this
business. After which your Excellency has made such a decree
as in your Judgment may seem proper. I shall leave myself at your
Excellency's disposal.
Nothing but the malicious prosecution Commenced against me
could create a wish to retain the Office I have the Honor now to hold.
Be my fate what It may be in the termenation of this Undertakeing,
I have an internal Sattisfaction the Calumniators of a World
cannot take from me Warmly inclin'd towards my Mother Country and
Government, Tenacious of her Honor and Dignity I may have View'd
the Conduct of my Opponents with to scrupulous an Eye
I have Ever wish'd a harmony and union of Opinion might take
place between the French and Americans and with confidance do I
Declair that Its not my fault there exists a Difference
With the fullest con[fi]dence of your Excellency disposition to do
justice to all parties
Moses Austin. [Rubric]
To His Excellency James Wilkinson St. Louis