7<> The Story of The Bronx 



government, he has treated me, both as to my own person 

 and as the King's representative, with slight, rudeness, and 

 impertinence." 



In the reply of the Chief Justice, he states: 



"I am heartily sorry, sir, . . . that the King's representative 

 should be moved to so great a degree of warmth, which I think 

 would proceed from no other reason but by giving my opinion, 

 in a Court of which I was Judge, upon a point of law that 

 came before me, and in which I might be innocently mistaken ; 

 (though I think I am not) ; for judges are no more infallible 

 than their superiors are impeccable. But if judges are to be 

 intimidated so as not to dare to give any opinion but what is 

 pleasing to a governor, and agreeable to his private views, the 

 people of this province — who are very much concerned both 

 with respect to their lives and fortunes in the freedom and 

 independency of those who are to judge them — may possibly 

 not think themselves so secure in either of them as the laws 

 and his Majesty intend they should be, ... I might possibly 

 have been impertinent, for old men are too often so; but as to 

 treating you with rudeness and disrespect, either in your 

 public or private capacity, it is what I cannot accuse myself 

 of doing or intending to do, at any one of the times I was with 

 you. ... As to my integrity, I have given you no occasion 

 to call it in question. I have been in this office about twenty 

 years. My hands were never soiled by a bribe; nor am I 

 conscious to myself, that power or poverty hath been able to 

 induce me to be partial in the favor of either of them ; and as I 

 have no reason to expect any favor of you, so I am neither 

 afraid nor ashamed to stand the test of the strictest inquiry 

 you can make concerning my conduct. I have served the 

 public faithfully, according to the best of my knowledge; 

 and I dare, and do, appeal to it for my justification." 



A contemporary comment is made in a news-letter to a 

 West Indian publication. Indus writes: 



"Sir: You will perceive, by the enclosed copy of a letter, 



