Letter received by Banks from Elizabeth Bligh, 25 January 1808 (Series 42.02) - No. 0002

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never seen, as from motives which I cannot blame he has never called at this House, I hear from the Officers of the Buffalo, & from Mr. Brown who is acquainted with them all, is much to be pitied, as he looks upon himself as defamed & Stigmatized by the Court, & totally disowns that he ever said or insinuated to the Court that he was instigated by the Governor to prosecute Captn. Short;  this I am told he is going to make an Affidavid [Affidavit] of before a Magistrate, & send to the Admiralty in his own defence.  The whole proceedings of the Court were most Extraordinary, they appear to have been so prejudiced & predetermined from the first, that the poor Lieutenant was scarcely heard, & not allowed to bring his evidences into Court viz - Captains King & Houston, & Lieut. Oxley, & was brow-beat & talked to with Severity.  When Captn. Short began his defence they listened with every Complacency & sat for a long time to hear him defame & belie the Govr. of N.S. Wales, who was no party in the trial, & had nobody to defend him - their next step was to induce Sir Isac Coffin to write the enclosed letter to the Admiralty, which I have been peived to find they have attended to, & sent representations against Govr. Bligh to the Secretary of States Office.  Mr. Cooks superior mind I hope will make him see the cruelty of this & not