Dear Sir
Excuse me once more because I fear I have hardly quite made
myself understood.
Nothing could be more proper than your resolution made in 1800. Nothing can be more proper than that you should now adhere to it. I should
perhaps be as unwilling as you to enter into any 'disputation or disquisition'
on either religion or Politics—had you stated any opinions of yours, &
had they differed from mine, it was my intention to have recommended to your
perusal the books on which mine had been formed, or by which they had been
confirmed, but I think nothing should have induced me to have gone further.
I am sure of the truth of what I said in my last—viz that the
opinions which I there stated have occasioned you the loss of some valuable
friends. I must decline mentioning their names or the sources of my information.
If without stating what your opinions on either subject are you will merely say
that they are not hostile to the Church or Government of this country as each
now exists, I am inclined to hope that something may yet be done for you, but my
Dear Sir you must be aware that it would be highly wrong in any person who is
contented with the blessings he enjoys, & is willing to defend them, if
necessary, with his life, to associate with, & to give countenance to a
man whom he knows to be desirous of depriving him of them. I even yet hope you
are not among these, & if so it seems to me impossible that you should
not be able easily to convince your friends who are unwilling to believe the
contrary, that you are not so I regret with you that opinions should be so often
formed without sufficient information, but when certain facts are known
& others withheld, it is impossible it should be otherwise. It is with a
view of obtaining the remainder of this information & of applying it to
your use that I am giving you this trouble. You will give me such an answer as
your own good sense shall point out as most likely to answer this end.
I remain Dear Sir
yours Truly
T J L Baker
Maulden May 29 1821
I go to Clare Hall tomorrow I shall return here on
Saturday
Address: Mr Robt Bloomfield, / Shefford