Rev. Alexander Fletcher.
The Times, 1824-10-09T00:00:00

When the 'st?-.eanagers of Albion Chepelretired fom their of- ficen the 27th1'f fay-ls, they publisbdlle for the .ndidratiaio oFfti members- an'sat-holders, a report of- their pQi'oeDngs for the- irevious fornyears, and their reasons for declining dte nmsnagement~ n'future; -af 'they hoped they bhould not be calledup9n to trouble tc publiribh -anryObservations in reference thereto; bat after-tbe Appendix dated the Ist of October) which hir.Flctcler has thought proper to publish to his Protest-of--the-2S9h of September, It is im- possible for them Isn-er to remiain silent. - - The managers un&rstand that a feul Etat6mentif the-whdlepro- ceedings befoTe* the Presbytery and SynOdis-preparing, ..d_wilfe shortly published; and which they -'ippehehd wlibe'o eomnplete.an- -ewer to theProtestand Appendsx, butin-eaneaiitanse, for thesakc of their own characters, they feel .orP0'flled to call the'publie-aften- tlen to swD Qfe chargesagaiat ihem, and -to4edransers to eliL chargeai- :''- - Mlr. Fletcher, in the Appendi.^r, ears, with referene to lils ma- -a ,ets " I have charged.tbetm at en e.ar7ly stage of the -bsiness ni n tti matter, which ihterfcrence: I never soaght, which I alwais Tiessted aind evhicr I foretold i flot cheeked, -would destroyall htpe of a reiival ltlhe inerrupted- coir- respondence." To this they uaswer. and that in the most positive tnmmne, Xiaat as a body-they never interfered lwith the lamiientable -affair, (which has since caulsed them the deepest augulibh), until urged to d6so by Air. Fletcher's request, which was first made during a cow.e4s- tion with two of their number, who had tendered- their-assistantce as prlvate- friends - and again, in a letter- to one of them, dated the Mist of November of which tbe following is acopy : - "' I think higAly of your pacic-spirt. iFron -being-i-4the forest, your kind note was not received till this, asternoon- The plan of theamanagerm meeting immediately, meets- ny hearty approbation. I wishyou coald excuse my meeting with-3ou.- If agrdeable, IW will call a meeting for Monday evening. -If yon, fad a letter ready at the commencement of the meeting, addressed -tw Dr. Dick,pressing upon hintheexpediency of-subnmittingtoarbitration, it might be subscribed by the Inanugers, n tit ne to be sent'ofl,biethe Aioudtay's post; ' ' I hope Providence will smile on yrr-r plans and- bless them, for 'removing. the threatening cloud which is nei. over us.'" - And sgain, in another letter of the 25th of November-" I think thatitis the imnietiousduty of the Managers. CtsrC tlats;-to write Dr. Dick, dissuading him, by the most powerufl -arguzrnt&; from carring fhb malter into a public coart." -Air. Fletchero in a subsequent part of his Appendix,<.;yg," I charged-them with proposing to me, for thte purposetof avaringithP tht-eatened calamity vfIcg nolence, to give my ninme to a blank apology which they and Dr. Dick were t taill up at pleasure, and to wzhich 1 shouldi bind mryself, before knowging the materials writh *hich it-was to-lie filled. W;,ith thesie things 1 have charged t} em, and they- nte truth." Such is affirmed by MIr. Fetcher to be truth; but wzhether the things charged are -the truth or not, the public wifl judge-wvher they h,ave perused the two following letters a The -first-is from Ir. Fletcher to thte nmanagers:- -Genslem?n,-ln reply ~- " DecermberA, 48i23. "G[ettlemm,-ln reply to vour last communication,lamn willing- Ist, That you confer with Dr. Dick on this -unpleasant bmsiness, in whatever way yoar own discretion and concern for the interests eof religion mav dictate. - 2. Thai Dr. Dick be solicited to send up the forin of the apology to be subscribed bv me, which he m;ayconsider satisfac. -tory, and calculated to vindicate the exar r of his daughter. Y. That I shall moit readily -give -ay name to any document presented by him throug.h the rnanagers to mie, provided it ia not at varianlc with my knowvledge of facts, and the imperishable rights of consience. 4. And all this, in the faUeat confidence, that no use whatever will be made in Court of any,of n:y apoioies, I remain, Gentlenmen. your's respectfildl " ALEXANDER FLETUIER." The otier is from seven of the managers to lfr. letcher. viz.- " December 22, I82=. " To the Reverend Alexander Fletcher. " Sir,-Having received from Bliss Dicks'sasolicitor, a copy of a letter,'Which be thinks will be satisfactory to that lady and her friends, and which, if signed by you, he is of opinion will terminate this unpleasant affair, we most respectfuRy request you will have the goodness to peruse the same with Mr. vawlings and Mlr. Creak. After having ourselvcs given it the most mature consideration, and fully agreeing with its cntetts, we do most sincerely recommend your signing the same, in order that it may be transTitted immedi. ately to Dr.Dick. We remain. Rev. Sir, your very sincere friends, Signed) "CHARLES Mi. JOHNSON, Chairman. - - " 4,ALEXANDER THOMISON. JOEIN HA V. - i "WMI. GRVBB. "JAIBES RAWLINGS. *T130HMAS RANDOLL. "JOSEPH- ADAIMS." T'he last letter was accompanied by another from Mr. Rawlinge, appointing WYednesday, the 24th, at eleven, as a time for meeting, About 1 o'clock on that day, Dir. Fletcher enet hlr. Rawlings a letter, dated ihe previous day (the23d), in which hesays-" Thouglh there is no hne within the - rarge of my congregation with whom I would more readily confer than yourself upcn%be preent unhappy |affair, asyonhave uniformly teatedme witl themos~.naed cvility, yet I have not yet decided whether I shall nee you on I- odnesday." l\lr. Fletcher did not attend on Wednesday: he never in,rcd the apology which is was proposed he shonld sign. Ie said, upon being called upon by Mr. C reak, that he -would not sign any; and by his subsequent conduct he has show that be prefered complying with- the terms required of kim in 2 pab!iC, rather than in a prtvate Imanner. EBY. 4bBZ4NDET. PLETCIER.