Your Affectionate father,
Saml. Crompton.
Swan, Lad Lane,
28 Feby. 1812.
Dear Children,
I last night recd the book and a letter from William[497] per favour of Mr. Morris who slept here last night. We sat up till late. I am happy to hear you are all well. I, the night before yesterday, recd the petition from Mr. White as it is intended to be presented and reading it at home I signed it and as directed I took it Lord Stanley yesterday who said he would see me at the house, where I waited till after 7 o’clock and he not appearing, I went home. Yesterday Mr. T. Ainsworth and I paid a visit to Lord Stanley & Collonell Stanley who is yet confined, they both recd our visit very kindly. I this Morning called on Mr. T. A. who is coming down to night by the Mail, and offered to carry me a letter or render me any service he could. I am now 3 o’clock returned from Mr. White’s office Westminster Hall where I went by appointment made last night. My intent was to give him a good drilling as I expect to have to depend on him greatly, and will say I think him a most excellent schollar. You will shew this my friends at Manchester and as I mean to write some of them in a few days concerning evidence & any thing else which may occur, I remain always remembering you with sincere respect,
Saml. Crompton.
The following letter is undated, and as it was sent by a Mr. Willoughby, it contains no postmark. It is evident from its contents, however, that it is here given in its correct chronological order.
[Mr. John Kennedy.]
Sir,
You I trust will have heard that Mr. S. Horrocks, and T. Ainsworth are both gone down to Lancashire, and both expect to be here again about the middle of next month. There are a great many members not yet arived that we could wish to see before the buisness is brought forward. The petition is lying with Lord Stanley who has Mr. Percival’s written consent to receive the petition, and in its present form the claim must be made out by evidence. I prevailed on Mr. Ainsworth while he was here to write out a number of questions with their answers according to his own view of the subject, which I will subjoin if my paper will contain them, and as I must have evidence, I also must be prepared where to find [it] at an appointed time of which I can have any Sufficent notice [for] Mr. T. Ainsworth from Bolton, one or two from Manchester and one from Glasgow and also one [from] Ireland if any such could be found. I presume the whole of the evidence would be gone through in one day or two and if my Manchester friends can find me one or two on whom I can rely on at the time appointed, it would add greatly to the number of obligations that have been received from them by their Humble Servant