Letter from John A. Brereton to Asbury Dickens, Secretary of the Columbian Institute, September 30, 1825

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Summary

Letter from John A. Brereton, stating reasons for withdrawing from the Columbian Institute. Dated 29 September 1825. Read 1 October 1825.

Cite as

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7051, Columbian Institute Records, Image No. SIA_007051_S02_B01_F04_D29

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1825
  • September 30, 1825

Restrictions & Rights

  • No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
  • No Copyright - United States

Topic

Form/Genre

Letters (correspondence)

Local number

SIA RU007051 [SIA_007051_S02_B01_F04_D29]

Full Record

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Washington 29[[superscript]] th [[/superscript]] Sep[[superscript]] r [[/superscript]] 1825 Sir, I have just rec[[superscript]] d [[/superscript]]. your letter of the 27[[superscript]] th [[/superscript]]. inst dated "Columbian Institute", & in it you refer to a previous one of the 11[[superscript]] th [[/superscript]]. ulto. which I also acknowledge to have duly rec[[superscript]] d [[/superscript]]. Under the impression that, that of the 11[[superscript]] th [[/superscript]]. ultimo was one of a general "[[underlined]] circular [[/underlined]]" directed by the Institute to be furnished to all its subscription as well as its supposed members, it required no particular notice; but the one just now rec[[superscript]] d [[/superscript]]. appears from its tenor of a different complexion & to be addressed to me as an individual member. Presuming the inference to be correct I deem a reply necessary. It is well known to you as well as many of the oldest members of the Institute, whose attendance upon its meetings & transactions have been regarded with any degree
of punctuality, the attention & devotion I have manifested towards the interests, as well as the objects of the Society from its first organization. In proof of this also I have only to refer to the minutes previous to the last three or four years. - It is, also known to you that during this last period I have entirely withdrawn myself from the Society, except upon one occasion I attended [[strikethrough]] one [[/strikethrough]] [[insertion]] ^ a [[/insertion]] meeting at the urgent solicitation of a friend, to report upon a subject that had been confided to me by the Institute & in which he was interested. If it be conceded that I have shewn some zeal in the cause of the Society, it may be ask'd by some, why does it not still continue? In answer, I have again to refer to your minutes on record, in which my honesty has been impeached, [[underlined]] or [[/underlined]], accused of being a willing agent in an imposition upon the funds of the Institute. If the minutes do not give this direct inference, it was, during my absence, openly & directly [[end page]] [[start page]] affirmed so in debate, as I was afterwards informed. Tho' the transaction was freely & fully explained, I have no reason to doubt, to the satisfaction of the Institute, yet the sting remains, nor have I rec[[superscript]] d [[/superscript]]. that equity which I believed to be justly my due; I therefore determined to withdraw [[strikethrough]] myself [[/strikethrough]] from the Society, & have since seen no reason to change my adherence to that determination. I am very respectfully Y[[superscript]] r [[/superscript]]. Ob[[superscript]] t [[/superscript]]. Sev[[superscript]] t [[/superscript]]. J.A. Brereton A. Dickens Esq[[superscript]] r [[/superscript]]. Secy Col. Inst[[superscript]] t [[/superscript]]. [[right curly brackets enclosing above two lines]]
[[paper in landscape format]] [[three columns]] [[first column]] moved to strike [[/first column]] [[second column]] A. Dickens Esq[[superscript]] r [[/superscript]]. Secy Col. Institute [[/second column]] [[third column]] From John A. Brereton, stating reasons for withdrawing from the Columbian Institute, dated 29[[superscript]] th [[/superscript]]. September, read 1[[superscript]] st [[/superscript]] October, 1825. [[double line]] [[rotated right 90 degrees]] Read, Oct. 1. 1825 [[/third column]]