To: Mr Robt. Newton Feb. 21. 1827
As you are one of the executors of your late worthy Father you stand responsible to see that the Will of your Father be executed according to his wish and as he have willed, and for the executors to revoke or alter the same it cannot then be called the Will of your Father, but the Will of the Executors. You well know that your Father have left in his Will a legacy to your sister Elizabeth Dodd the same as her sisters Mrs and Mrs Cousins but I understand it was agreed by the Executors at the meeting at Harwell that your sister was to have an annuity or something - Is this holding the last Will of a Father and Mother as sacred importance as it ought and fulfilling there wishes No: it is not tis quite the reverse -Dr Sir I ask nothing more of you than to stand up for a sister's right against your Bror, Executor. I always held you in the highest esteem knowing you to be a man that feared God but now I am at a stand and wonder at the reason as you cannot speak a favourable word for a sister in distress. I was sorry to hear her say when she was defencing herself and pleading for her right that no one stood by her but her friends left her: St Paul experienced the same. It have been said I had your sisters money at Buttermere.I was never told whose money I received neither had I any business with your sisters money. All the money I borrowed was to stock the farm for your Bror and he took Possession of it all to the £4,534. 0s. 16d. at a very low rate valued by you and your Brother and myself in the Parlour at Buttermere July 20th 1817. I don't believe I owed very trifling more when I left than it took to stock the farm deduct from the whole amount as I owed July 20th 1817: that's the time the money as your brother held back by Poundage you will find I believe nearly enough to pay him 20s. in the pound at that time besides the Farm worth £1000 more than when I took it, and nine years to come. Now I would ask is it not oppressing your sister and me and all my Family in the highest degree by detaining and keeping us out of the rightfull and last Will of your Father and your Mother - the money as is due to us at this time I say tis oppressing Dr Sir. Your sister and myself felt particular satisfied in our minds having you for a witness at our giving up Buttermere don't believe there was a man in the world as I could have put more confidence than in you thinking you would see us righted never should I have yielded to have sign such things as I did had it not been for you as I thought you an Upright Man. You know well and so do your Brother - My wife's interest was only signed to your Bror. for her protection. It was never wanted at Buttermere. It seems plain by what I have heard that your Brother Mr T Newton have many accusations and charges against me such as not keeping correct accounts I never wronged him wilfully of one half penny of the money I had acct of. Who was to keep acct after such stupes as Jonathan as spoiled I suppose pounds worth of Corn. Debts coming in after I had given in accts of the same: I don't suppose there was £10 behind what I mentioned. Scandalizing Tom that I never did he deserved it - There was no Hay nor Stray nor Chaff: there was plenty Hay coming if twas not come he took possession 20th July I should think there was some hay out of 90 acres of sainfoin and as much in proportion of other Grass.I cannot say anything about Chaff as that is most times very scarce in July where there's 20 Horses Kept. I know you knows better. What did he say before you and your other Bror and Mrs Cousins after you all had a minute inspection of my Farming. On Shipmans Hill you recollect at parting he came to me and shook hands with me and said I give you credit for what you have done could not have thought of seeing such improvement: Your Bror Mr R'd Newton made answer to me let things turn out howit will you have done your part -the above took place in the spring 1817 after I had sown all the Crop and I gave it up to your Bror the July Following so I could not alter it much for the worse in that time. When your Bror Thos shook hands with me I was like Emaza - I did not Espy the Sword concealed as was to pierce the world as your Bror Mr Thos Newton appears to be as to wish my Wife to separate from me and leave me when I was in the greatest trouble. I never knew it till since your sisters return from Harwell. Is this Mr Thos Newton who when I gave up my property to him said I should never want a friend. Yes it is the Man it seem'd to pierce my heart when my wife told me of it. To Endeavour to separate a man and wife as lived together in the greatest unity and affection and at a time when no other consolation seem'd left and endeavouring to console each other at such a time with a stronger tie of love than ever. It being unknown to me for your Brother to wish her to leave me and to hold out something so handsome to do it. I take it was the greatest unkindness as ever was done to man. My wife appears the more Honourable in detesting such an offer: she would not I believe had done it for the world - To violate a law of God in the highest - would not this had been a sword out of sight to me to stab me to the Heart - I hope you will excuse my trespassing on your patience - Dr Sir Excuse my asking you what have I done to be treated in such unhandsome manner. If I had been one of the vilest reparbates and if I had spent all the property as I received with your sister in unlawfull practices it would have been some excuse for such ill treatment. But wheres the Man that can charge me with misconduct towards your sister or spending her fortune. I defy any person to charge me with it. Was not my property sacrificed with hers. I think I can say with truth the day before I was married I was worth £3000, now suppose it was but £2500 it was £1500 more than I received -and what I did received I was well satisfied I mention this to shew you I was not entering on Business with your Sisters property only, as your Bror Thos may think - If he does think so he is very much mistaken - Now as we both lost our property together is it an unreasonable request to ask for our right to have some business again. Now I appeal to your experience when you have been in difficulty as you have been I suppose wishing to find a friend to lend you some money let it be for what use it may likely to advance your family in business dont you use all your exertions to try to get a friend to help you and your Family Can you blame myself and your sister with my small children and no business whatever and not knowing which way to turn at the time to get on. To stand up and ask for our right we want nothing else. The money left by your Father it would help us to business and not be beholding any more to Friends which is so unpleasant for both parties - It may be said by some that you may lose it again if you had it. Would that be trusting God. Job's Friends may have said so to him but instead of that they helped him; let him have enough to set him up in Business again And the Lord Blessed his second beginning again with Double he had before that's enough to refute that notion of losing it again = I conclude with saying that if the Money is withheld from your sister I firmly believe she will be very likely separated from us all I hope that is not the desire of any of the family at this time - she have no rest: it makes her Miserable and it have Injur'd her Health very much already. If you as a Christian Brother stand up for us at this time I hope we shall sincerely thank you and remember it with gratitude
From yours most affectly M Dodd