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[Page 2]
[in]terference could be of no benefit to the prisoners. The Gentlemen had already visited the prison & had formed their own opinions. Dr. Johnstone complained that I had been the cause of their undertaking a long journey at that dismal Season without any object. He admitted indeed that he had originally objected to the reduced allowance as insufficient, but affirmed that experience had convinced him of his error. Under such circumstances I thought it best to leave the Commissioners to their own deliberations, lest opposition to their opinions might fix them more strongly.
They staid [stayed] two days longer, and were employed in regulating the prison. Their last act was to call in the General of the District & his Staff, the Mayor & another of the town Council, to bear witness to the State of the prisoners. On this occasion Mr. Serle read over a copy of my letter to you with Dr Blane's answer, commenting as I was told on particular passages of mine, & comparing no doubt the prison as it then stood with my representation. Had my letter to you been communicated to the General & the Mayor, or to the public in any form, such conduct might have had some colour of propriety. As the matter stood, it was as unnecessary as it was unhandsome & unfair.
When I heard of this I wrote a note to Dr Johnstone then on the point of leaving Town, remonstrating upon it & desiring to know who were present at this examination. To each of these I sent a copy of my explanatory letter to Dr. Blane, (yet unnoticed on his part) as a sufficient justification of my conduct, and of which it is unnecessary for me to give an account, as a copy of it was sent to Yourself. This letter having been written previous to the arrival of the Commissioners, had been shown to them, & I thought it more proper to rest upon it both for an explanation of my