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Chapter 1 Page 1

            Copy of R. Donaldson's Letter
to R. Peters -

                  R. Peters Esq.
                                    Sir:
                                          In a letter just received from a
Bookseller in Boston I have had the following query put
to me. Please inform us if the edition proposed by
Mr Peters of Philadelphia [???] to be published by subscription
viz, the Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of the
United States from its organization to the close of January
term 1827 and to know if it is to be published with my
consent and when it is to be out - You will oblige me
by answering me the former and latter part of this query,
as I would not wish in my answer to said Book House
to give other than the facts. For myself I readily
anticipate your answer - that you will not issue such
a work, the effect of which would be to me literally ruinous
on a large amount of property I have vested in the
work, which I have been endeavoring to accumulate
from my labours and care of 12 years. Likewise the injury
that would be done to my absent friend Henry Wheaton Esq.
by such a publication and the result of which would
be to deprive him and his family of the pecuniary
reward due to his professional labours of 12 years. However,
should you see fit to bring out such a work we must
under such circumstances look to the Laws of our
country for redress of so great an injury as would thereby
be done to us. But ere you receive this, I have little doubt

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Chapter 1 Page 2

that you have determined to pursue a more honourable
course by having abandoned said project [XXX] This being
the case please by a frank avowal enable me to make
a public declaration of the facts - I assure you since
the issue of your proposals I have not been able to
effect any sales that significant of said Books and many
stood ready to purchase but declined, saying if you brought
out such a work, they would wait - Please restore me
to the use of my property affected thereby -
                                                                  Very respectfully -
                                                                        Your obedient Servant,
                                                                        Rob[er]t Donaldson -
      25th September, 1828 -                                                                              N.Y._


Transcription by: Megan Wren