Mine a Burton July 1st 1809
Sr
Your letter under date of the 29 Ult°, was handed me this day by
Mr. Maxwell, an inexpressible desire to develope the authors of the
reports and tales so often told you of my conduct towards you,
would alone-induce me to answer your letter, suffer me to call your
attention for a moment to past events, and ask what proof you have
to substantiate the many reports which have been with much art and
industry circulated to keep alive the misunderstanding, which has
so long-existed between us. suffer me also to say that If you will
but make an investigation of the origin of the malicious reports of
which you complain, that I am confident you will then be satesfied
how much you have injured me in your beliefs respecting my General
Conduct towards you. that I have been exasperated in a high degree
in consiquence of the maney abusive denunciattions coming from
your mouth-cannot be denied, but I am now and at all time have been
ready and willing nay desirous that an investigation should take
place and that every act of mine should be sifted and minutely
scrutinized-touching the subject matter of dispute between us-and
should it be found that I have maliciously attempted you wrong-
Either in Character or property-then it will become my duty-to
make reparation but not otherwise, What act of mine has drawn from
you the letter now before me I cannot divine, for two weeks past-I
have been so much indisposed that I have not more than passed the
door of my house. What discordant Demon has exercised his talents
to conjur up matter for fresh accusations is equally beyond my power
of divination. Suffer reason and your better Judgment to rise
Superior to passion and prejudice, and, then, and, not untill then will
you be capacitated to Judge a right on this subject. Can you beleive
that the persons who often tell you of my malevolence have nothing
in view but your good. Do you think its the high respect they have
for your person and an honorable desire to promote your Interest
alone, that induces them to take so active a part in what may be
supposed to appertain to your good, take but a review of the men
that tell you of my Conduct towards you and see If you have not
some cause to beleive that they have something more in view than an
honorable desire to promote your good, see if other motives do not
stimulate them to action. Yes, you will finde a desire to gratify
some black and malignant designe to work my or your destruction—
and likely both are the motive that actuates the Wretch the despicable
Wretch the author of your Charges.
Your letter speeks of conduct injurious to your purse and person
but you do not specify or particularize how when or Wherein I
have don you this Wrong, I cannot hold myself bound, to answer
charges of so general a nature Nor shall I attempt it. Specify
Wrongs don you and I hold myself bound to answer—Your letter is
the Effusion of an Over heated Imagination wrought up to a State
of fury of denouncing Vengeance with out giveing yourself time to
examine whether the man against whom they are leveled merits them
or not—it is also a strong presumptive proof that all the
imprecations of Death and Vengeance against me so many times repeated
(as often told me) are true and its at least a Voucher how ready you
are to give Credit to the tittle tattle of every cringing sycophant that
approaches you-
Before I close this note I shall make to you a proposition, on
which you may act or not as you think proper. If to do Justice to
yourself and expose the man you call your Enemy is your object I
cannot see any Objections you can have to the measure I shall now
submit to your consideration,—you Charge me with doing you much
Wrong I deny the Charge, and in turn denounce you as the man
blamable for all the Difficultes that have existed and do now exist,
and that, too with out a Shadow of real Cause—on my part—Now
Sr I propose that You Name two Gent—Your friends in whom you
have confidence to meet two friends of mine Who shall be authorised
to investigate the Wrongs on both sides you will then have an
Oppertunity to produce proof to substantiate all your Charges—I
shall have an Oppertuniety to prove how much you have been
emposed on by base and unworthey men—and how much unmerited
injustice you have don
Moses Austin
N B I shall wait your determenation a proper time, and as Mr
Maxwell tells me you gave your letter unsealed (If I hear nothing
from you), I shall feel myself at liberty to make both your letter
and my answer public
MA
[Endorsed:] Copy letter in answer to letter under date 29 June
1809 recd from John Smith