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Description
Marriott attests to Chase's character, insisting that West's charges against him are false. Although he wishes the whole affair could be kept from the public, Chase's behavior has rendered that impossible.
Date
12-31-1830
Keywords
Philander Chase, George Montgomery West, G. M. West, Lord Gambier, Lord Bexley, Mrs. Burgess, Mrs. Marriott, Mr. Horne
Recommended Citation
Marriott, G. W., "Letter to Lord Bishop of Salisbury" (1830). Philander Chase Letters. 872.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/872
Rights Statement
Transcript
Q. Square 31st December
My dear Lord
With a knowledge of your great interest in the character of Bishop Chase, and in the recent sad dispute, I could not but wish you to see the letter from him. You would have found great confirmation of the opinion you formed on the previous documents that the poor Bishop is no longer himself. I would have come to you to read it if I could have done so, and shall hope to do so when it returns. The charge of “inordinate ambition” is merely founded on the miserable dispute about the succession to the Episcopate, and that of “Forgery” has still less to support it. Mr W. having asserted that the Bishop once promised in writing to recommend him as his successor, the Bishop answers this must be a forgery, and if he will produce it, I will have him tried. On such grounds does a Bishop, writing to a Trustee, make out a charge of Forgery (which word he writes in large Capitals) and sends his letter to a foreign land. Proh pudor!!
I feel deeply with your Lordship the desirableness of such a matter being kept from the public, but that is rendered impossible by the Bishop’s conduct. He has written all this scandal not to the Trustees only, but to a very imprudent man, who is actively circulating it as true. If the Bishop were an English subject, he would be indictable. As things are, I am bound as a Christian to shield a persecuted and shamefully labelled man, in answer to the letters of inquiry which come to me, in consequence of the Bishop’s publication, & letters to England. But I neither say or write an unnecessary word. I forward the letter to Lord G. as a Trustee, and shall do the same to Lord Bexley. I hope this change of weather is acceptable to Mrs Burgess, on whom Mrs Marriott, if she had a Carriage, would make an early call. With our united kind regards, I remain, my dear Lord, yours most devotedly
G.W.M.
Our accounts of my Daughter are much better, I thank God. Pray frank the enclosed according to your kind promise.
1st January 1831. May God bless the new Year to your Lordship and Mrs Burgess!
I have been much struck with the comment of an old Divine, Samuel Smith, on the first words of the first Psalm, which Mr Horne tells me is right, and gives me other authorities. He says the original is—“Oh! The blessednesses of the man.”
It has just occurred to me that I shall value your counsel much, in guiding myself through the difficulty of duty to Bishop Chase and to Mr West. I will never quote your Lordship. If you do not write to stop me, I will breakfast with you tomorrow, and afterwards go to your Church.
Do not make the mistake I made above in your letters of this day, by writing the old year.
1831
Jany. 1st
Mr. G. Marriott.