The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-23 00:00:00

57.

occasion of my other colleagues visiting me at Bridling.
ton—they named a large sum, I stated, as I then be-
lieved and still believe, that it %vas impossible, for I
knew well how frequently I had advancci the company
large sums (and my c‘dieagues knew it also), and I felt
sure there must be some radical error in the company's
books.

"I was then eo racked with pain as to be unfit for any
attention to business ; but I volunteered that my clerk
should give any information Mr. Carlill might wish.
This was done ; but I left Bridlington in an invalid's
carriage sooner than I otherwise should have done, in
order to attend to so important a matter myself. I had
already asked Mr. Carlill to let me have the company's
statement of account, and quite expected to find it ready
for me. It was not, however, completed ; but a day
was named when it should be given to me. I had my
office books brought to my private residence, where I
was st.ll ill ; but when the day came no account was
forthcoming. Over and over again did I pre-s for this
document, stating distinctly that I was ready to pay any
balance that on examination might show against me.
That account I never got nor have yet received it.
"It now turns out that there were private and vin-
dictive reasons for this gross neglect of duty—for so I
must call it—when I know that it tied been fumed:ee
and had presented the appearance assumptively stated
by the accountant, arrangements could have been made
for the liquidation er security of the balance which my
subsequent misfortunes render impracticable ; hut that
did not suit the purposes of those whose counsel pre-
vailed at the board. It was the policy and incautiously
expressed intention of Mr. Jo-h. Rylands to get rid of
me, and for two reasons : Ist, Because I had frustrated
a barefaced attempt on his part to get the board to re-
lease his family from all responsibility as regarded the
shares held by his late father; and 2nd, Because he
found I adhered more and more strongly to the opinion
repeatedly expressed, that the sooner our company aban-
doned the existing mode of business—which involved
engagements all over Europe upon a large borrowed
capital—and adopted the sure, sound. and legitimate one
pursued by the Kingston Cotton Mills. the earlier we
should be relieved from our financial difficulties. To see
Cds done I was pledged to the banker-. ; but its carry-
ing out would have relieved our company from any de-
pendence upon the name of Rylands. So that to have me
out of the way became an important point. Had I re-
mained in health, the alteration I allude to would have
been carried out, and, with the knowledge and approval
of three of my colleagues, I was then in correspondence
with influential Lancashire parties, with every prospect
of getting them to take a considerable pecuniary in-
terest and share in the management. But for my ill-
ness, your mills would have gone on and have been re
modelled ; but my owing money to the concern, as as-
serted, was taken unfair advantage of in my absence.
The result you know,
"In conclusion, I have for four years toiled day and
night with a tingle eye to our common interest—the
improved condition of the mills. I have done so to the
serious and—it proves—ruinous neglect of my own
business, and against the civic and remonstrance of
many good friends, whose counsel I had done well to
follow. During this period I have never drawn one
shilling of the salary you voted for your chairman. I
have found money repeatedly to keep the mills in opera-
tion, and have repeatedly—nay, continually—made my
firm responsible for thousands upon thou-ande of pounds.
I boldly challenge any director to contradict me, when
I assert that but for me, and the financial resources I
commanded, the mills would have stopped 1 .ng ago. I
have notes before me, from each metneer of time board.
which sustain this appeal, and three-fourths of them art
too honourable to deny it. Surely, surely, as men ann
as gentlemen they should have given me the account 1
aoked for, and if a balancie proved due (which is not
proved yet) then have treated me as they judged correct
and proper.

Under present circumstances you will do well to
wind up your affairs in the way recommended by the
board ; but I trust those who have this duty to perform
will take care not to let your valuable property pass
away for an old song."