Letter: Reverend John Butler to Reverend Samuel Marsden, 8 January 1822
Reverend John Butler
University of Otago Library
Digitised from the Hocken LibraryCollection Number MS-0057/062
Trimble 62
CMS Number 65
Digitised by the Marsden Online Archive
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Letter
Maori Subject Headings
Reverend Samuel Marsden
8 January 1822
New South Wales, Australia
3 July 1822
6 August 1822
British English
God
Crime
Blood
Powders
Purchasing
Flax
Potatoes
Indigenous peoples
Axes
Bread
Land settlement
Schools
Clothing and dress
Implements, utensils, etc.
Missions
Whāriki wharanui
Sydney
Jany
1822
New zealand
God
Magistrate
British
Crime
Blood
Pratt
Port jackson
Christian
Honor
Powder
Kendall
Hall
Shunghee
Rewa
Purchase
Flax
Potatoes
Wyedua
Tippoonah
The actives
Smith
Rangheee hoo
Native
Jacky
Axe
New zealanders
Van diemans land
Bread
Settlement
School
Mat
Kiddee kiddee
Clothing
Implements
Mission
Westmoreland
England
Butler
Sydney Cove Jany 8th 1822 My Dear Sir I have hitherto endeavord to consider you as a Father and as a freind , but the Mysterious way in which you have acted, and your conduct towards me of late lead me to draw Conclusions of a very different nature. I have learned that when you returned from New Zealand you immediately began to speak evil of me and mine. As a Minister of the Church of God! and a Magistrate of the British Realm to be charged with unfaithfulness or neglect of duty either the one or the other is a Crime, the very thought of which appals my heart and makes my Blood run cold— However, I have one Consolation and that no man takethtakes from me: That with all diligence and sincerity both me I & mine have laboured to forward the objects of the Society and to promote the temporal & eternal happiness of the Heathen among whom we dwell. And I am now ready and prepared to meet any charge and to give unto all men publicly a full and satisfactory account of every days work & Slavery; both of myself and my Wife ever since we have been engaged in the service of the Society. I trust the Society ere long will be in full possession of the facts. And there are living Witness who have seen with their eyes who will bear testimony to these truths— But since you have taken upon you to traduce my character without any just cause
you must hereafter stand prepared to justify your own. Some things have taken place lately which I think not altogether right. There are many things which I could mention but I shall confine myself to a few. You know Sir that some time ago I made Application to the Society for things as a favor to get them as cheap as possible. And I have a letter from Mr Pratt saying they were sent. These things arrived, and most of them you have sold at Port Jackson. And those you sent to New Zealand you did not consign to me, but to another, and charged a higher price for them than was originally done by the Society. Do the Society indeed wish you (after granting a favor) to put a tax upon it? Is it worthy of their name and character, or that of the christian World to act thus? Have you not endeavoured to defraud me of my lawfulllawful right (for I cannot call it less) by wishing at least to charge me with 55£ of travelling expencesexpenses althoalthough I was not receiving any salary at the time; and which monies (I have no doubt) have been paid by the Society long since? Have you not charged my Son with 19.16 for Victuals after agreeing with me for 40£ p[er] annum and his food? Did not other monies stand against me which ought not? Have you not acted quite as bad by refusing to honor a just bill which I paid for Timber on account of the Society? Did you refund it on account of the Society? Did you refund it on account of the Timber being bought with “powder” I think not. Did you not pay Mr Kendall for his timber bought with powder in kind? Did you not pay Mr Hall for his timber purchased in the same way? Did you not yourself pay four large Casks of powder and put them into the Common Stock or store? Did you not pay away a large Tea Kettle full of powder to Shunghee and half a Gallon to Rewa for Land? Did you not endeavour to conceal this Act by not having it entered in the Deed. Did you not pay Mr Wm Hall for two Musquetsmuskets 26 lb of powder at one time and 56 lb of powder at another time, the most of which Mr Hall for sawing done for the Society? Did you not purchase a lot of Flax and potatoes from Wyedua at Tippoonah with a Musquet? Did you not aftrerwardsafterwards send down 51 Bayonets at one time 17 of which Mr King received as his ration to barter away to the natives. Has not the Actives Cargo been bought with these forbidden things have you not received the Cargo
knowing it to be bought with these things? And have you not replaced them? Did you not once upon a time employ Mr Smith to purchase six musquetsmuskets to barter away amongst the Natives of New Zealand? I believe these things can be very easily proved? Did you not say to me with your own mouth that a Gentleman of one of the Universities had applied to you for a Skull without hair? Did you not signify your intention to obtain one if possible? Did you not employ Mr Wm Hall to go to the Village at Rangheee Hoo to see if he could obtain such a thing? Did you not receive a native Head from Jacky and give him an Axe? I am sure I saw him with one and he afterward assured me he had given it to you and that you had given him an axe which he shewedshowed me. Have you not sold the supplies which were sent out to administer comfort to the poor Naked New Zealanders you say for want of an Invoice you have done this! Granted. But do the Society or the Christian World expect to be repaid by the wretched & Distressed Heathen? Have you not sold to the Active Crew the Slops intended to clothe the Native Servants? And farther have you not even sent away the SocietysSociety's slops to Van Diemans Land to be bartered away for food for the Crew of the Active instead of forwarding them to New Zealand in order to afford comfort to the destitute? Important! My very heart ache’s While I put these questions I pray your Conscience give an answer as in the sight of a heart searching God. When these things are fairly represented to the christian world; will the world altogether freely? I have 8 men and three women at work for the Society and who will expect a new sujitsuit of clothes each on my return according to my promise. Am I to purchase them out of my own little pittance, or must I forfeit my word and by annoyed by the Natives calling me deceiver? When I engaged with the Society? Did I say to the Society put me into one of the preistspriests offices that I may eat a peicepiece of bread? Certainly not. Now Sir I do feel it an imperative duty as the Clergyman & head of the
Settlement to request that you will furnish me with every thing necessary for establishing a school mat Kiddee Kiddee as far as the Society have granted you the means. I have informed you that three families of chiefs have applied to me to take them in. I must request some trade clothing &c and implements for carrying on agriculture for the benefit of the Mission and of administering comfort to Natives in general. If you deny this request I shall merely call at New Zealand and take my family on board the Westmoreland and proceed to England. Should you be inclined to favor it I shall be happy to meet you and consult with you; and as far as I am able point out what those necissaries are. At the same time willing to be guided by those circumstances and to act upon those principals which are most likely to forward the great and blessed Work on which we are engaged. With my warmest prayers That the Calumny you have cast Upon me may be returned in the Richest blessings of heaven upon You & yours I Remain in the Bonds of the Gospel your affectionate Brother John Butler J.P.