SOLON ROBINSON, 1851 503 



To THE Board of Commissioners of Lake County. 



[Typewritten copy in Harry Robinson Strait Papers, Gary] 



[November 11, 1851] 



I would respectfully represent to you, that in the year 

 1837, at a time when materials and labor were excessively 

 high & the population of the county small and poor and 

 literally without any means to erect buildings for the 

 accommodation of the courts & officers of the county, I 

 erected at great expense a temporary court house which 

 was used many years. I also erected a good and suitable 

 building for a clerk's office which was used until the end 

 of my term of seven years. I also furnished the court 

 house with tables, chairs, benches etc. and bedding and 

 other necessary articles for the jail & all the proper book 

 cases & furniture for the clerk' office, and I never have 

 received from the county one cent for the rent of build- 

 ings or furniture. It is true, after the office of clerk 

 passed out of my hands, the commissioners made me an 

 allowance for part of the furniture at a depreciated price, 

 but nothing for its use or damage or loss & nothing for 

 rent, although I had furnished the county with a good 

 clerk's office for seven years, and a court house and jail 

 for upwards of three years previous to the time I donated 

 the use of it after that time with my other, as you must 

 acknowledge, liberal donations to the county seat. I have 

 always expected to be allowed a fair rent, but never 

 pressed the matter upon the commissioners, because I 

 knew I was owing them on account of my donation, and 

 expected to affect my claim against that & tried to do so 

 with the agent but failed. You then sued me and in my 

 absence, obtained a judgement against me, which I was 

 precluded by the technicalities of law from introducing 

 my account, because you sued upon a bond. 



But the eternal principles of justice and right should 

 not preclude me from what is truly and fairly my due. I 

 therefore most respectfully ask you to take this case into 

 consideration and adjudicate upon the principles of 

 equity. 



