Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
Inclosed is your writ vs. Durfee Served as you will see, the Offr. could find nothing beside to Attach. The Action Murphy vs. Scot was Entered & contind. the Action Ingraham vs. Jones was Contd.
Murphy went off before I recd. your Letter or I should have sent your Bedstead at Crockers which you wrote for.
361We had a Small Court the Increase to me in the money way was verry Small but to make up matters I had this week an addition to my family of a fine Girl1 (on which I give you Joy) Mrs. Padelford & the Girl is finely. Please make my respects to Mrs. Paine and Believe me to be your Sincere
Also I Inclose to you an Excon. vs. Henderson & a writ vs. Stoughton which I beg you to Deliver to a Coroner—the money on the Excon. I have so long been out off that want it & the offr. Sheriff has had a long time to pay it in. I will Endeavour to Serve you as much in any way I can. Yours &c.
Ann “Nancy” Padelford (1786–1817) was one of fourteen children, seven of whom died in infancy. She married in 1804 Samuel Edgar Cooke of Tiverton, R.I., who had been one of her father’s law clerks.
This gratefully acknowledges your friendship in your exertions before the Comtee., in the case of my petition, so long pending. My character will, in some degree, be restored to its deserts; & my family not suffer so much from the evil reports of my enemies, as they might have done, in case the prayer had not been granted; & if you had not open’d the eyes of the blind, they wou’d not have seen their duty to me, & the public. I have not the presumption to place myself upon the list of the most enlightened patriots; but I flatter myself, that my public conduct has not been void of merit; & as the merit, & demerit of my public actions, must be best known to myself, so far at least as respects their motives, I do not hesitate to affirm, that the aggregate of all my other merits was by no means equal to that of my conduct on the Secret expe. Whether I was inspired by wisdom or cowardice, the public derived more benefit (at least by preventing evil 362 negatively) from my conduct in this single instance, than from all my other public conduct. With respectful regards to Mrs. Paine, & Mrs. Eunice; & love to the Children, I remain your friend &c.