Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. III

Yesterday I receiv'd y^ Letter w^h by his Excy« order you was pleased to write Wednesday last, in Ajiswer to one fi-om me to his Excy dated the 24*^ of ye last month : in w^h as my Intentions were not in the y^ least measure to intimate a Suspicion (w^h I had not) of any Disregard in yt particular from his Ex^J' ; so I humbly conceive, no Words contained therein can imply it. .

That I might have ask'd y« Clerk of y^ County for y° Proclamation, before I knew he had it, is hardly probable. Either y^ Clerk, to whom it was directed, has pui-su'd his orders, or not ; if not, why is he not censm-'d ; & if he did, why should I now be charged w^^ any part ot y* Fault I complained of. I now find by youi-s (of w^^ I was ignorant before) yt ye Fault lies (tho' perhaps not wtf'out ye perswasions of some) at y"^ Clerk's Door : & if his Ex^y has formerly blam'd me for not complaining, why should I now be charged w^h seeking y', rather than my Duty : & y° assertion of being angry at others wlio do theirs, is, I humbly conceive, a little too severe, & includes a Beflection w"' a Figure : & I think, I ought not to have been censur'd instead of redressed.

This is not y^ first Instance of M^ Macknesh's Liberty in speaking : & had his Ex^y been pleased to liiat his Unconcernedness to me on other occasions, relating to yt Person, I singula not have given liim y^ Trouble of reading this last abusive Expression.