What is your opinion as to remuneration? My opinion is that a great nation should act in its own character and not do a little thing in reward for great services nor measure its bounty either by the wants or expectations of the recipient, but weigh it solely by the dignity of the giver and the Merrit of the receiver.
P.S. You will see that the above is the spontaneous production of the Moment, and the person or persons if you can find any that will volunteer on this occasion ([with] every part of which I flatter myself you are acquainted) with volunteer evidence, will be much stronger than any forced one, and in my opinion every [witness] should be provided with a set of questions which he feels himself best able to answer, and indeed with any other which some other [witness] may be better calculated to answer than himself, which would be our case to select and propose them before the Committe.[499]
S. C.
Lad Lane,
6 March, 1812.
Dear Children,
I last night wrote Mr. T. Ainsworth of which he can inform you. I have also this day writen to Mr. Lee, who I have informed that I would write you and request that you on receipt of this will go to Mr. T. Ainsworth and request him to say when he can come up as the Petition is presented and a Committe appointed, who will sit where we are prepared to meet them. Mr. Blackburn is very desirous that the report may be made before the Easter Holliday. You will then immediatly let Mr. Lee know who will I trust be able to write me so that I may give notice to the committe of the time we are prepared to meet them. I should feel very happy if Rich. Ainsworth, Esq, would volunteer to give evidence as a Bleacher. You will leave the proposing of it to T. Ainsworth if he thinks it proper. I have nothing further at present to add but that I hope you are all well and that you will immediatly attend to the above and lose no time in order that we may if possible go into the committe on Thursday next.
I am as ever yours Most Affectiony,
Saml. Crompton.
P.S. I should be glad to hear from you and also that you will inform me as I have not the means here that you have of informing me of the name of the gentleman and the sum he obtained from the Government of this Country who first introduced the Machine from abroad for the Silk Throwing Machine in the Silk Manufacture and the amount of the Support he received from the government of this Country. If I remember right you will find it either in England Described, or Guthrie’s Geography and that the Machine was first erected either at Derby or Nottingham.
S. C.