Copy of a Letter from the Revd S. Marsden to the Missionary Settlers and Mechanics employed in the Service of the Church Missionary Society in the Bay of Islands
Parramatta Mar. 18 1822
Dear Sirs
	As the Revd John Butler complained very much of my Injustice towards himself, and others employed in the Service of the Mission in charging to you for the Goods issued from the Society’s Stores the Shipping Expences and Insurance which amounted to about 6-1/2 per Cent and which had been charged in the Account Current by the Society to me, I have to request you will inform me if you feel yourselves aggrieved by this charge, and whether you consider it just or unjust, that you should pay the actual Sum for the articles you receive that the Society have paid in London for them. I shall be happy to forward any Complaint you have to make upon this Subject against me to the Society. I thought it just, and I charged it. You may be of a different opinion. I derive no advantage from this. I do not make a gain of you. No part of the money ever comes to me. Tho a very deep impression has been made here upon the public mind to my Prejudice from the Statements of the Revd J. Butler— so much so that some of my friends strongly recommended me to bring the matter before a Court of Justice previous to Mr Butler’s return, in order that he might prove that I had acted wrong, if [f] he could. I beg to refer you to Mr Williams, who knows what has been said upon this Subject.* If I have acted improperly in this matter, you had the Society to appeal to. There was no necessity to throw me into the Hands of the Enemy for the sake of a few Pounds, and which I have not benefited by. I spend my time in looking after the concerns of the Society, in providing your wants. I travel at my own Expence; and have all the Anxiety and responsibility of the mission upon me as far as it can be laid upon me. This is enough, without any criminal Charges made against me, by any of the Missionaries as they have the Society to appeal to, to redress their wrongs.— I have only to request that you will state your Complaints to me, and leave the Society to judge how far I have injured you as individuals; and give me an opportunity to reply to your Charges if you have any to make, and you will much oblige
Dr Sirs
Your obedient Servant
Saml Marsden [f]
* Memorandum Mr Williams when at New Zealand, being asked as to this matter, replied, that Mr Butler behaved in a very scandalous manner to Mr Marsden.